Assessment Of Natural Radioactivity Level And Radiation Hazard Parameters In The Terrestrial Environment Of Eloor Island, Kerala

Abstract

The present study is aimed at measuring the concentration of primordial radionuclides in the soil samples of Eloor Island, an industrial area in Ernakulum District and evaluating the radiation exposure to the local population. The ambient radiation exposure rate was measured using portable scintillometer survey meter and the activity concentration of 232Th, 238U and 40K in the soil samples were analyzed using (5×4)” NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometer. The exposure rate measured using survey meter varied from 63 nGyh-1 to 374 nGyh-1. The activity concentration of 232Th, 238U and 40K in soil samples ranged from 44.8 Bq kg-1 to 792.8 Bqkg-1 for 232Th, 8 Bqkg-1 to 445.5 Bqkg-1 for 238U and 129 Bqkg-1 to 1160.5 Bqkg-1 for 40K. Hence the absorbed gamma dose and radiation hazard indices due to natural environmental radiation was done. The study showed no significant impact due to the NORM Industries in the Eloor Industrial region.