A study of radon exhalation rates and activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples of Roopnagar district, Punjab, India

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 2024, Vol.333 (6), p.2967-2974
• Main Authors: Mehta, Vimal, Kaur, Rupinderjeet, Shikha, Deep, Singh, Supreet Pal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diagnostic Radiology; Exhalation; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Natural radioactivity; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Physics; Physical Chemistry; Radioisotopes; Radium 226; Radon
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-023-09050-9

This study aimed to estimate the, exhalation rate, and natural radioactivity in the soil of Roopnagar district, Punjab. The radon mass and surface exhalation rate ranged from 1.18 mBq kg −1  h −1 to 5.72 mBq kg −1  h −1 , with an average value of 2.68 mBq kg −1  h −1 , and from 4.89 mBq m −2  h −1 to 23.58 mBq m −2  h −1 , with an average value of 11.09 mBq m −2  h −1 , respectively. The activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K was found to be 31.9 Bq kg −1 , 44.1 Bq kg −1 , and 419.0 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The air absorbed dose rates of radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K had an average value of 14.88 nGyh −1 , 27.4 nGyh −1 , and 5.89 nGyh −1 , respectively. The total air absorbed dose from all radionuclides ranged from 19.5 nGyh −1 to 87.7 nGyh −1 , with an average value of 48.1 nGyh −1 , which is discovered to be well below the levels considered dangerous by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiations.