https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-025-01645-5
Regular Article
Spatial distribution analysis of soil radioactivity using gamma-ray spectroscopy and radiological inferences
1
Department of Medical Physics, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Jolly Grant, 248 016, Dehradun, India
2
Department of Physics, Doon University, 248 001, Dehradun, India
3
Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, 140 001, Rupnagar, Punjab, India
4
School of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
5
Department of Physics, Govt. Degree College Dehradun Shahar, 248 001, Sudhowala, Dehradun, India
6
Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, 400094, Mumbai, India
7
Department of Physics, HNB Garhwal University, Badshahi Thaul Campus, 249 199, Tehri Garhwal, India
Received:
14
July
2024
Accepted:
23
April
2025
Published online:
16
May
2025
Naturally occurring radionuclides in soil, rocks, and vegetables can be identified and quantified using gamma-ray spectroscopy, one of the most extensively employed techniques. This investigation has been planned and carried out to assess the natural radioactivity due to 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in soil samples (N = 46) from Kumaun Himalaya, India using NaI:Tl gamma-ray spectrometry. The average values of activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were found to be 48 Bq kg−1, 42 Bq kg−1, and 2009 Bq kg−1, with standard deviations of 11 Bq kg−1, 11 Bq kg−1, and 156 Bq kg−1, respectively. With an average value of 264 Bq kg−1 and a standard deviation of 30 Bq kg−1, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq) was significantly below the safe limit of 370 Bq kg−1. However, a few samples were observed to have Raeq values exceeding the safe limit. The spatial distributions and the inter-correlations of the measured and estimated radiological quantities are presented in the paper. The contributions of 226Ra and 232Th to radiation dose quantities were observed to be approximately equal, whereas that of 40K was observed to contribute most in this study. The anticipated doses from radionuclides were found to be up to three times higher than the global average values. The outcomes of this study offer noteworthy baseline data for future studies. More detailed monitoring and mitigation measures are recommended to minimize the risk of gamma-ray exposure.
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Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
