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Behavior of Natural Radionuclides, Radiological Hazard Parameters, and Magnetic Minerals in Rock Samples of Kolli Hills, Eastern Ghats, India

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Abstract

The natural radionuclide (238U, 232Th, and 40K) content of the 15 rock samples collected from Kolli hills along the Eastern Ghats, India, has been analyzed using a 4″ × 4″ NaI (Tl) scintillation detector-based gamma-ray spectrometer. The activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K were between 12.97–49.89, 6.4–27.05, and 51.85–95.84 Bq kg−1, respectively. To understand the entire radiological characteristics of the collected samples, the various radiological hazard parameters have been calculated and were compared with the global recommended mean values. From the magnetic studies, values of χ ranged from 33.1 to 510.7 × 10−8 m3 kg−1. Moreover, in rock samples of Kolli hills, ferrimagnetic minerals are found to be the main magnetic carrier. Statistical analyses were performed to study the relation between the natural radionuclides, radiological hazard parameters, and magnetic minerals. The results of Pearson’s correlation analysis shows that 238U and 232Th strongly correlate with the radiological hazard parameters, and a poor correlation was noted between magnetic and radiological parameters. However, a positive and a near-positive correlation was also observed between SIRM/χ (0.501–0.578) and κFD% (0.471–0.481) with U and Th activity concentrations, respectively. This indicates that the carrier and grain size dependence parameters also play a significant role in increasing the activity concentrations of U and Th and its associated radiological parameters. From the cluster analysis, it is found that the content of ferrimagnetic minerals is higher in sample nos. 4, 5, 11, and 12, which greatly improves the properties of concrete when used for building construction purposes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Head and staff of the Physics Department, Gulbarga University, for their help in gamma-ray analysis. The authors also thank the Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNCPBA), and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, CSI College of Engineering, Ketti, 643 215, Tamilnadu, India

    Nanjundan Krishnamoorthy

  2. Department of Physics, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, 585 106, Karnataka, India

    Basavaraj Rachappa Kerur

  3. PG & Research Department of Physics, Thiru. Vi. Ka. Govt. Arts College, Thiruvarur, 610 003, Tamilnadu, India

    Sundaram Mullainathan

  4. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIFICEN, CONICET-UNCPBA), Pinto 399, 7000, Tandil, Argentina

    Marcos Adrian Eduardo Chaparro

  5. Department of Physics, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600 119, India

    Sugumaran Murugesan

  6. Centro Marplatense de Investigaciones Matemáticas (CEMIM-UNMDP-CONICET), Diagonal J. B. Alberdi 2695, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Mauro Alejandro Eduardo Chaparro

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  1. Nanjundan Krishnamoorthy
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  2. Basavaraj Rachappa Kerur
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  6. Mauro Alejandro Eduardo Chaparro
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Correspondence to Nanjundan Krishnamoorthy.

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Krishnamoorthy, N., Kerur, B.R., Mullainathan, S. et al. Behavior of Natural Radionuclides, Radiological Hazard Parameters, and Magnetic Minerals in Rock Samples of Kolli Hills, Eastern Ghats, India. Int J Environ Res 12, 399–412 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-018-0098-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-018-0098-7

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