Distribution of Radionuclides in Surface Soil and Bottom Sediment in the District of Jessore, Bangladesh and Evaluation of Radiation Hazard

Abstract

This paper presents the first reports on the natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in soil and sediment of Jessore, a south-western district of Bangladesh. Surface soil and freshwater sediment were collected from in and around some major water-bodies of this district. To assess the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, the radium equivalent activity, the absorbed dose rate, and the external and internal hazard indices were calculated. In the soil and sediment in general, the activity concentration of ²³²Th was found to be higher than that of  ²²⁶Ra, while that of ⁴⁰K markedly exceeds the values of both ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th. The average activities of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th in this area were found to be higher than the world average. There was no activity due to fallout (¹³⁷Cs) in this area. The radium equivalent activity and the absorbed dose rate due to the natural radionuclides were found to be respectively lower and higher than the world average. The external and internal hazard indices were found to be well below the hazard limit of unity. Our results compare fairly well with other published results. 

Key words: Soil, Sediment, Natural lake, Radioactivity, Dose rate

DOI: 10.3329/jbas.v33i1.2956

Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 33, No. 1, 117-130, 2009