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Investigations on baseline levels for natural radioactivity in soils, rocks, and lakes of Larsemann Hills in East Antarctica

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Abstract

A comprehensive measurement of concentrations of the natural radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K, and 226Ra in the soil and rocks along with natural uranium and tritium activity levels in lake water were carried out during the Indian expedition to Antarctica. The samples were collected from the Larsemann Hills region in Antarctica (latitude 69°20′ S to 69°25′S, longitude 76°6′ E to 76°23′E). The data on the natural radioactivity for this region is limited. The study was carried out to establish baseline levels of radioactivity in different terrestrial matrices of this region such as soil, rocks, and lake water. A radiation survey mapping for terrestrial radioactivity was conducted in the region before collection of soil and rock samples. The soil and rock samples were analyzed for natural radioactivity concentrations using high-resolution gamma spectroscopy system. The major contributor to elevated gamma radiation background is attributed to the higher concentration of 232Th and 40K radionuclides in both soil and rocks. Terrestrial components of gamma dose rate due to natural radioactivity have been estimated from the measured radioactivity concentrations and dose conversion coefficients. Several “hotspots” and high background areas in the region have been identified having significantly higher concentration of 232Th and 40K. Rocks in Larsemann Hills region showed high reserve of thorium mineralization in monazites and 40K in K-feldspar. The concentrations of 232Th in soil are found to be in the range of 106–603 Bq/kg, whereas in rock it is in the range of 8–4514 Bq/kg. Natural radioactivity U (nat) and 3H contents in the lake water samples in Larsemann Hills region were estimated as 0.4 and 1.3 Bq/L and are well within the prescribed limit of radioactivity in drinking water as recommended by World Health Organization.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Dr. S. Chinnaesakki and Smt. Sheetal V. Bara, Health Physics Division, BARC, for their support in gamma spectrometry of soil and rock samples. Authors wish to thank Devsamridhi Arora, Research Scholar, Department of Geology, University of Delhi, for her valuable inputs on the Geology of Larsemann Hills. Authors are grateful to National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, India, formerly known as National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) providing all the logistic help to collect samples from Larsemann Hills Region, Antarctica, under 35th expedition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Rupali Pal, A. K. Bakshi, Bhushan Dhabekar & B. K. Sapra

  2. Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Aditi C. Patra

  3. Radiation Safety Systems Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Priyanka J. Reddy

  4. Material Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Pranesh Sengupta

  5. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India

    Rupali Pal, A. K. Bakshi, Bhushan Dhabekar, Pranesh Sengupta & B. K. Sapra

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  1. Rupali Pal
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Pal, R., Patra, A.C., Bakshi, A.K. et al. Investigations on baseline levels for natural radioactivity in soils, rocks, and lakes of Larsemann Hills in East Antarctica. Environ Monit Assess 193, 822 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09446-8

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