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Natural radioactivity and external hazard index in Brazilian sands

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Abstract

The distribution of natural radiation from Brazilian beach sands was studied using gamma-ray spectrometry. While in most of the regions studied the dose due to external exposure to gamma-rays, proceeding from natural terrestrial elements, are within the values 0.3 and 1.0 mSv/year, some sand samples from Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo states present higher radioactivity levels due to the presence of monazite and zircon, exceeding the world average value for external exposure due to naturally occurring radionuclides.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, proc. 07/04663-3), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, proc. 306353/2018-0) and INCT-FNA proc. n. 464898/2014-5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Universitário da FEI, São Bernardo do Campo, 09850-901, Brazil

    M. A. Guazzelli

  2. Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil

    N. H. Medina & V. A. P. Aguiar

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  1. M. A. Guazzelli
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  2. N. H. Medina
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  3. V. A. P. Aguiar
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Correspondence to M. A. Guazzelli.

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Guazzelli, M.A., Medina, N.H. & Aguiar, V.A.P. Natural radioactivity and external hazard index in Brazilian sands. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 328, 903–910 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07707-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07707-x

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