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Evaluation of radiological hazards due to natural radionuclide in rocks and the dependence of radioactivity on the mineralogy of rocks in Udupi district on the south west coast of India

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Abstract

Radiological hazards due natural radioactivity in rocks were assessed in the Udupi district on the south west coast of India. The activity of radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in rocks, as a commonly used construction material were estimated. The radiological hazards to the population of the region were evaluated. The 232Th activity concentration in granitic rocks was found to be high. To trace the sources of radioactivity in rocks, the mineralogical studies were carried out using XRD and FTIR technique. The studies indicated that the thorium phosphates and potassium bearing feldspars minerals are the main source of radioactivity in rocks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departmen of Physics, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, 574 199, India

    Achari Sandesh & Y. Narayana

  2. Department of Physics, Bearys Institute of Technology, Mangalore, 574 153, India

    P. R. Vinutha

  3. Department of Physics, BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru, 560 019, India

    C. S. Kaliprasad

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  1. Achari Sandesh
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  2. P. R. Vinutha
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  3. C. S. Kaliprasad
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  4. Y. Narayana
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Correspondence to Y. Narayana.

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Sandesh, A., Vinutha, P.R., Kaliprasad, C.S. et al. Evaluation of radiological hazards due to natural radionuclide in rocks and the dependence of radioactivity on the mineralogy of rocks in Udupi district on the south west coast of India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 1985–1994 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08114-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08114-y

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