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Measurement of radionuclide contents and 222Rn/220Rn exhalation rate in soil samples from sub-mountainous region of India

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Abstract

The present study involves the measurement of radionuclide contents and radon/thoron exhalation rate in the soil samples collected from the 30 villages of Jammu district, J & K, India. Thallium-doped sodium iodide detector and advanced Smart Rn Duo monitor were used for the measurement of the radionuclide contents and radon/thoron exhalation rates. The radon flux rate was also measured by using a surface chamber technique. The radon mass exhalation rate in the soil samples has been found to vary from 15 ± 0.4 to 38 ± 0.8 mBq kg−1 h−1, while thoron surface exhalation rate has been found to vary from 90 ± 22 to 4880 ± 280 Bq m−2 h−1. The mean value of radium equivalent activity (99 ± 27 Bq kg−1) has appeared to be well within the admissible limit of 370 Bq kg−1 suggested by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2009) report. The values of various parameters related to radiological hazards were also calculated, and all parameters have been found to be well below the safe limits given by various organizations. Thze outcomes pointed out that the region was protected from danger as per health risk effects associated with these radionuclide contents are concerned.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to the Department of Atomic Energy, BRNS (Mumbai), for aiding the grant under the major research project (Sanction no. 2013/36/60-BRNS) for this work. Authors are also highly grateful to DAV College, Amritsar, and NIT, Jalandhar, for their support in carrying out the experimental work. Our sincere thanks to the inhabitants of the studied area for their cooperation during the field work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, DAV College, Amritsar, Punjab, 143001, India

    Manpreet Kaur & Ajay Kumar

  2. Department of Physics, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144001, India

    Manpreet Kaur & Rohit Mehra

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

    Rosaline Mishra

  4. Department of Physics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India

    Bikramjit Singh Bajwa

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  1. Manpreet Kaur
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Correspondence to Ajay Kumar.

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Kaur, M., Kumar, A., Mehra, R. et al. Measurement of radionuclide contents and 222Rn/220Rn exhalation rate in soil samples from sub-mountainous region of India. Arab J Geosci 14, 808 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07103-5

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