Evaluation of excessive lifetime cancer risk due to natural radioactivity in the rivers sediments of Northern Pakistan
- 1. Radiation Physics Lab., Department of Physics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Park Road, Islamabad (Pakistan)
- 2. Department of Meteorology, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Park Road, Islamabad (Pakistan)
- 3. Pakistan Meteorology Department, Gilgit (Pakistan)
- 4. Department of Mathematics and Geosciences, University of Trieste, Via Weiss 2, 34128 Trieste (Italy)
Description
Naturally occurring radionuclides 226Ra, 23'2Th and 40K present in the rivers sediments of Northern Pakistan were measured using HPGe γ-ray spectrometer to evaluate the radiation health hazard indices and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). Average concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the sediments were found to be 50.66 ± 1.29, 70.15 ± 1.45 and 531.70 ± 5.45 Bq kg-1 respectively. Radium equivalent activity (190.89 Bq kg-1), outdoor external dose (87.47 n Gy h-1), indoor external dose (165.39 n Gy h-1), and total average annual effective dose (0.92 mSv) were calculated. The hazard indices are higher than the world's average values. Total excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) was found to be 3.21 × 103 which is relatively higher. Numerous cancer deaths are annually reported from the Northern areas of Pakistan, which may be related to high radioactivity in the area
Additional details
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences
- Journal Volume
- 7
- Journal Issue
- 3
- Journal Page Range
- p. 438-447
- ISSN
- 1687-8507
- CODEN
- JRRAS
INIS
- Country of Publication
- Egypt
- Country of Input or Organization
- Egypt
- INIS RN
- 50005542
- Subject category
- S54: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES;
- Descriptors DEI
- HIGH-PURITY GE DETECTORS; NEOPLASMS; PAKISTAN; POTASSIUM 40; RADIUM 226; SEDIMENTS; THORIUM 232
- Descriptors DEC
- ACTINIDE NUCLEI; ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES; ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; ASIA; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; CARBON 14 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; DISEASES; ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS; HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; HEAVY NUCLEI; ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; NANOSECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; NUCLEI; ODD-ODD NUCLEI; POTASSIUM ISOTOPES; RADIATION DETECTORS; RADIOISOTOPES; RADIUM ISOTOPES; SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS; SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES; THORIUM ISOTOPES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES