The presence of radioactive materials in soil, sand and sediment samples of Potenga sea beach area, Chittagong, Bangladesh: Geological characteristics and environmental implication

Yasmin, Sabina and Barua, Bijoy Sonker and Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin and Kamal, Masud and Abdur Rashid, Md. and Abdul Sani, Siti Fairus and Ahmed, Hossain and Nikouravan, Bijan and Bradley, David Andrew (2018) The presence of radioactive materials in soil, sand and sediment samples of Potenga sea beach area, Chittagong, Bangladesh: Geological characteristics and environmental implication. Results in Physics, 8. pp. 1268-1274. ISSN 2211-3797, DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2018.02.013.

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2018.02.013

Abstract

Accurate quantification of naturally occurring radioactive materials in soil provides information on geological characteristics, possibility of petroleum and mineral exploration, radiation hazards to the dwelling populace etc. Of practical significance, the earth surface media (soil, sand and sediment) collected from the densely populated coastal area of Chittagong city, Bangladesh were analysed using a high purity germanium γ-ray spectrometer with low background radiation environment. The mean activities of 226Ra (238U), 232Th and 40K in the studied materials show higher values than the respective world average of 33, 36 and 474 Bq/kg reported by the UNSCEAR (2000). The deduced mass concentrations of the primordial radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K in the investigated samples are corresponding to the granite rocks, crustal minerals and typical rocks respectively. The estimated mean value of 232Th/238U for soil (3.98) and sediment (3.94) are in-line with the continental crustal average concentration of 3.82 for typical rock range reported by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). But the tonalites and more silicic rocks elevate the mean value of 232Th/238U for sand samples amounting to 4.69. This indicates a significant fractionation during weathering or associated with the metasomatic activity in the investigated area of sand collection.

Item Type: Article
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Earth surface media; HPGe γ-ray spectrometry; 232Th/238U ratio; Mass concentration; Granite rocks; Crustal minerals
Subjects: Q Science > Q Science (General)
Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Department of Physics
Depositing User: Ms. Juhaida Abd Rahim
Date Deposited: 14 Feb 2019 03:40
Last Modified: 14 Feb 2019 03:40
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/20301

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