title: Concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the soils of Bangalore region, India.
abstract: Several soil samples of Bangalore region were analyzed for the concentrations of Ra, Th, and K by gamma ray spectrometry. The concentration of Ra varied in the range 7.7-111.6 Bq kg with a mean value of 26.2 Bq kg, Th in the range 16.7-98.7 Bq kg with a mean of 53.1 Bq kg, and that of K in the range 151.8-1424.2 Bq kg with a mean of 635.1 Bq kg. The external gamma absorbed dose rates in air were also measured using a portable environmental radiation dosimeter, and the gamma dose rates were found to vary in the range 61.4-201.7 nGy h with a mean of 117.2 nGy h. These results along with the results of estimation of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose rate, external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin), and representative level index (Igamma) are presented in this paper. The results are also compared with the literature values reported for other regions of India as well as worldwide average values and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Bangalore University, Jnanabharathi, Bangalore-560056, India.
authors.forename: N G Shiva
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagaiah
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Ashok
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karunakara
mesh_terms: D001822:Body Burden; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D013910:Thorium; D011886:Radon