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Estimation of background radiation levels and associated health risks in mineral rich district Chiniot, Pakistan

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Abstract

The mineral extraction activities may disturb the natural radioactivity, therefore current study aims to generate baseline data of natural radionuclides and anthropogenic 137Cs before the start of industrial activities. Gamma spectrometry and gross alpha and beta counting systems were used for activity measurement in environmental samples. In soil, the mean activity of 232Th, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs were determined as 79 (66–117), 47 (34–80), 823 (602–1159) and 1.3 (1.1–4.5) Bq kg−1, respectively. The average annual effective dose rate (128.7 µSv h−1) in the study area was twice higher than world’s average value. Indoor hazard index was greater than unity at two places; therefore, proper ventilation is proposed during construction.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are highly thankful to head HPD, Director S and S, and Director General PINSTECH for providing financial support to conduct this research work. We are also thankful to our colleague and friends especially Mr. Khalid Mehmood, Mr. IftikharAnjum, Mr. Masood Mahmood, Mr. Khalil Ahmad, Mr. Rashid Khan, Mr. Babar Hussain, Mr. Irshad Ullah, and Mr. Munib Shafique for support in this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, P. O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Waseem Shehzad & Shakeel ur Rehman

  2. Environmental Monitoring Group, Health Physics Division, Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH), P. O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Khizar Hayat Satti, Mumtaz Khan, Khalid Khan, Amara Naseem & Abdul Jabbar

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  1. Waseem Shehzad
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  2. Khizar Hayat Satti
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  3. Mumtaz Khan
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  4. Khalid Khan
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  6. Shakeel ur Rehman
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  7. Abdul Jabbar
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Correspondence to Mumtaz Khan.

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Shehzad, W., Satti, K.H., Khan, M. et al. Estimation of background radiation levels and associated health risks in mineral rich district Chiniot, Pakistan. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 319, 1051–1058 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06425-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06425-9

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