Gamma radiation levels in terrestrial environment and resultant population dose before operation of Fuqing nuclear power plant

Objective: To investigate the gamma radiation levels in terrestrial environment and the resultant population dose before going into operation of Fuqing nuclear power plant and estimate the exposure dose of residents. Methods: According to 'Norm for the measurement of environmental terrestrial gamma-radiation dose rate (GB/T 14583-93)' and 'Technical criteria for radiation environmental monitoring (HJ/T 61-2001)', Seventeen places were selected by GPS locator as the monitoring sites, the γ radiation level in terrestrial environment was measured by Radalert 100 Nuclear radiation detector, the exposure dose of residents was estimated. Results: In the 17 monitoring places around nuclear power plant, The range of environmental gamma radiation air kerma rates in living room was 96∼238 nGy/h, the average was 191 nGy/h. The range of environmental gamma radiation air kerma rates outdoor was 73∼177 nGy/h and the average was 144 nGy/h. The per capita average annual effective dose equivalent made by natural γ radiation indoor and outdoor was 1113.6 μSv and the collective annual effective dose equivalent was 1375.1 man·Sv. Conclusion: The radiation dose level around Fuqing nuclear power plant belongs to the normal natural background radiation level in Fujian province. (authors)