Natural radioactivity measurements in soil samples from Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India

Radium, thorium and potassium analysis have been made in soil samples collected from some villages of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India using gamma ray spectrometry. The work has been undertaken keeping in view the health hazard effects of these radioelements in the environment. The results...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Radiation measurements 2003-09, Vol.36 (1), p.547-549
Main Authors: Singh, Surinder, Singh, Baldev, Kumar, Ajay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Gamma ray spectrometry
Geochronology
Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology
Radium-equivalent activity
Soil sample
Soils
Surficial geology
Track etch technique
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Summary:Radium, thorium and potassium analysis have been made in soil samples collected from some villages of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India using gamma ray spectrometry. The work has been undertaken keeping in view the health hazard effects of these radioelements in the environment. The results for radium activity are also compared using track etch technique employing radon alpha method developed by Somogyi (Technical reports series no. 310, vol. 1, IAEA, Vienna, 1990, p. 229). The measurements have been taken using 5″×4″ NaI(Tl) detector. The gamma ray lines of 1.46, 1.76 and 2.62 MeV were employed for potassium, radium and thorium analysis. The results for radium content in soil obtained by gamma ray spectrometry agrees with that determined by the track etch technique. The radium activity in soil samples of Hamirpur district is found to be within the safe limits.
ISSN:1350-4487
1879-0925
DOI:10.1016/S1350-4487(03)00200-2