title: A high natural radiation area in Khao-Than hot spring, Southern Thailand.
abstract: Natural radioactivity in Khao-Than hot spring area, Surat Thani Province, Thailand was investigated. Gamma dose survey indicated a possible high radiation risk for this area. Rock, soil and hot spring mud samples were collected and analysed by a low background gamma spectrometer. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in samples were 151-139 092 (mean = 13 794), 12-596 (127), 24-616 (215) Bq kg(-1), respectively. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that quartz and calcite (CaCO3) are the main constituents in mud samples with varying contents. In conclusion, this study area was reasonably classified as a high natural background radiation area. The source of radium in this area is supposed to be related to the fault fluids enriched in radium that precipitated with calcium in the carbonate terrain and partly absorbed by high cation exchange capacity clays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Geophysics Research Center, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand tripop.b@psu.ac.th.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bhongsuwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Geophysics Research Center, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Auisui
mesh_terms: D001417:Background Radiation; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000737:chemistry*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013785:Thailand; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive