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Influence of geochemical variation and heavy mineral component on primordial radionuclide presence in Tamiraparani River sediments

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Abstract

Gamma spectral analysis for the presence of primordial radionuclides was done on the sediment samples collected from Tamiraparani River, Tamil Nadu, India, which originates in the Western Ghats and flows towards the eastern side of the high background radiation region of Southern Malabar Coast (Kerala). The average activity concentration values for the primordial radionuclides were observed to be higher than the world median ranges reported by UNSCEAR (Report to general assembly with scientific annexes, vol 1, Annex B. United Nations, New York, http://www.unscear.org/docs/publications/2008/UNSCEAR_2008_Annex-B-CORR.pdf, 2008). The radiological parameters calculated for river sediments were found to be comparatively higher than the recommended values. The computed correlation matrix exhibited a positive correlation between various geochemical parameters and the activity concentration values of the primordial radionuclides. The heavy mineral analysis also showed a noticeable correlation with the activity of the actinides. The solid-state electrical conductivity studies on the heavy mineral samples were investigated to study their correlation with the activity of the primordial radionuclides.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge and thank Dr. M. T. Jose, Mr. S.M.S. Murthy and Mr. R. Ramar, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, for valuable suggestion and technical support. A sincere thanks to Dr. L. Isaiarasu Department of Zoology, ANJA College, Sivakasi for the help and comments. The assistance of Henry Jhonson, Arputha Anand, Manuel. T. Kagoo, Amalraj, Louies and Shanmuga sundaram during field trip is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Physics, Guindy Campus, University of Madras, Chennai, 600025, India

    I. Inigo Valan & A. Stephen

  2. Radiation Safety Section, Radiological Safety and Environmental Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    I. Vijayalakshmi & R. Mathiyarasu

  3. Department of Applied Geology, Guindy Campus, University of Madras, Chennai, 600025, India

    S. G. D. Sridhar

  4. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Guindy Campus, University of Madras, Chennai, 600025, India

    V. Narayanan

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  1. I. Inigo Valan
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Inigo Valan, I., Vijayalakshmi, I., Mathiyarasu, R. et al. Influence of geochemical variation and heavy mineral component on primordial radionuclide presence in Tamiraparani River sediments. Environ Earth Sci 76, 69 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6400-8

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