Estimation of radioactivity in some sand and soil samples

Abstract

Natural radioactivity is composed of the cosmogenic and primordial radionuclides. It is common in the rocks and soil that make up our planet, in water and oceans, and in our building materials and homes. Natural radioactivity in sand and soils comes from ²³⁸U and ²³²Th series and natural ⁴⁰K. Radon is formed from the decay of radium which in turn is formed from uranium. The gaseous radioactive isotope of radon from natural sources has a significant share in the total quantum of natural sources exposure to human beings. Gamma radiation from ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K represents the main external source of irradiation of the human body. In the present study, the activity for ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K is found to vary from 45±1.2 to 97± 4.9 Bq/kg, 63 ± 2.0 to 132 ± 3.2 Bq/kg and 492 ± 5.9 to 1110 ± 10.5 Bq/kg, respectively in the soil samples while the variations have been observed from 63 ± 3.8 to 65 ± 3.7 Bq/kg, 86 ± 2.5 to 96 ± 2.6 Bq/kg and 751± 7.7 to 824 ± 8.2 Bq/kg, respectively in the sand samples.