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Seasonal observation on radionuclide concentration in Krusadai Island Mangroves, Gulf of Mannar, India

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Abstract

Seasonal observation on the natural background radiation was done for shore sediment samples and bottom sediment samples (shallow inner shelf) that were collected from the ecologically sensitive mangrove forest area at Krusadai Island, Tamil Nadu, India. A NaI (Tl) detector based gamma ray spectrometer was used for analysing the samples. The Activity concentration of the primordial radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K were found to be comparatively higher for shallow inner shelf region samples than hinterland samples. Seasonal variations are observed in the activity concentration of various primordial radionuclides and are found to be within the world average values. The calculated radiological parameters also confirm that the radiation dose likely to be delivered externally are well below the prescribed limit.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Mrs. I. Vijayalakshmi, Mr. S.M.S. Murthy and Mr. R. Ramar, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, for suggestions and technical support. Author IIV thank Dr. Kalavathi Shanthi, Womens Christian College, Chennai for discussion. The project was financially supported by UGC–CPEPA, University of Madras.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Physics, University of Madras - Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600025, India

    I. Inigo Valan & A. Stephen

  2. Department of Applied Geology, University of Madras - Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600025, India

    S. Maniyarasan & S. G. D. Sridhar

  3. Radiation Safety Section, Radiological Safety and Environmental Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    R. Mathiyarasu

  4. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Madras - Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600025, India

    V. Narayanan

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  1. I. Inigo Valan
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Correspondence to A. Stephen.

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Valan, I.I., Maniyarasan, S., Mathiyarasu, R. et al. Seasonal observation on radionuclide concentration in Krusadai Island Mangroves, Gulf of Mannar, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 310, 1277–1288 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-4956-5

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