Mutlu İçhedef

Investigation of the relationships between seismic activities and radon level in Western Turkey

The distribution of radon activity is determined from pre-earthquake data. Analysis using Normal, Gamma, Weibull and Rayleigh distributions indicates that the variation of radon levels in seismically active regions is best described by a normal distribution. It was observed that radon levels would change in compressive fault lines prior to earthquake. Besides that it tended to increase before the earthquake and then decrease towards the time of earthquake occurrences.

Determination of radioactivity and heavy metals of Bakirçay river in Western Turkey.

In this study, radioactive and heavy metal contaminations in sediments and waters of Bakırçay River in Western Turkey were investigated to determine their pollution potential. The radium concentrations in the water samples were measured using the collector-chamber method. The radioactivities of (40)K, (226)Ra and (232)Th in sediments and soils were found to be 45.30 to 839.19 Bq kg(-1), 35.26 to 160.57 Bq kg(-1) and 1.86 to 131.49 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The activity of (226)Ra in the water samples ranged from 0.09 to 0.36 Bq/L. To determine the radiological hazard of natural radioactivity in the samples, the external terrestrial gamma dose rate in air (n Gyh(-1)), annual effective dose rate (mSv y(-1)), radium equivalent activity (Bq kg(-1)) were calculated and compared with internationally recommended values.

Determination of radon and radium concentrations in drinking water samples around the city of Kutahya

The concentration of radium and radon has been determined in drinking water samples collected from various locations of Kutahya city, Turkey. The water samples are taken from public water sources and tap water, with the collector chamber method used to measure the radon and radium concentration. The radon concentration ranges between 0.1 and 48.6±1.7 Bq l(-1), while the radium concentration varies from a minimum detectable activity of <0.02-0.7±0.2 Bq l(-1) in Kutahya city. In addition to the radon and radium levels, parameters such as pH, conductivity and temperature of the water, humidity, pressure, elevation and the coordinates of the sampling points have also been measured and recorded. The annual effective dose from radon and radium due to typical water usage has been calculated. The resulting contribution to the annual effective dose due to radon ingestion varies between 0.3 and 124.2 μSv y(-1); the contribution to the annual effective dose due to radium ingestion varies between 0 and 143.3 μSv y(-1); the dose contribution to the stomach due to radon ingestion varies between 0.03 and 14.9 μSv y(-1). The dose contribution due to radon inhalation ranges between 0.3 and 122.5 μSv y(-1), assuming a typical transfer of radon in water to the air. For the overwhelming majority of the Kutahya population, it is determined that the average radiation exposure from drinking water is less than 73.6 µSv y(-1).

Two year evolution of radon emission and tectonic movements in Tuzla Fault, Seferihisar-İzmir.

Previous studies showed that tectonic movement and meteorological events are accompanied with radon release. In this study soil gas radon and tectonic movements were investigated with meteorological factors taking into account. Soil gas radon measurements were collected over a-two year period (2008-2010) at the Tuzla Fault in Turkey. The relationship between radon anomalies and seismic activities was evaluated using Dobrovolskys form. It is shown that not only magnitude of earthquake but also distance from the measurement site should be used for identifying radon anomalies.

Natural radioactivity levels of geothermal waters and their influence on soil and agricultural activities

All over the world geothermal sources are used for different purposes. The contents of these waters are important to understand positive/negative effects on human life. In this study, natural radioactivity concentrations of geothermal waters were investigated to evaluate the effect on soils and agricultural activities. Geothermal water samples were collected from the Seferihisar Geothermal Region, and the radon and radium concentrations of these waters were analysed using a collector chamber method. Also soil samples, which are irrigated with geothermal waters, were collected from the surroundings of geothermal areas, and natural radioactivity concentrations of collected samples (U, Th and K) were determined using an NaI(Tl) detector system. The activity concentrations of radon and radium were found to be 0.6-6.0 and 0.1-1.0 Bq l(-1), respectively. Generally, the obtained results are not higher compared with the geothermal waters of the world. The activity concentrations in soils were found to be in the range of 3.3-120.3 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra (eU), 0.3-108.5 Bq kg(-1) for (232)Th (eTh), 116.0-850.0 Bq kg(-1) for (40)K (% K).

Soil gas radon concentrations measurements in terms of great soil groups

In this study, soil gas radon concentrations were investigated according to locations, horizontal soil layers and great soil groups around Tuzla Fault, Seferihisar-İzmir. Great soil groups are a category that described the horizontal soil layers under soil classification system and distributions of radon concentration in the great soil groups are firstly determined by the present study. According to the obtained results, it has been showed that the radon concentrations in the Koluvial soil group are higher than the other soil groups in the region. Also significant differences on location in same great soil group were determined. The radon concentrations in the Koluvial soil groups were measured with respect to soil layers structures (A, B, C1, and C2). It has been observed that the values increase with depth of soil (C2>C1>B>A). The main reason may be due to the meteorological factors that have limited effect on radon escape from deep layers. Although fault lines pass thought the study area radon concentrations were varied location to location, layer to layer and great group to great group. The study shows that a detailed location description should be performed before soil radon measurements for earthquake predictions.

Application of 137Cs technique for evaluation of erosion and deposition rates within cultivated fields of Salihli region, Western Turkey

Abstract Soil erosion by wind and water is an important problem for Salihli region in Western Turkey. There are several vineyards on the cultivated soils of this region, which is a significant economic income source for the residents. This study focuses on the cultivated soils in these areas to quantify spatial distribution of 137Cs using 3-D graphic method and eventually to estimate erosion and deposition using the results of 137Cs spatial distribution obtained. The erosion and deposition rates were estimated using proportional and simplified mass balance models. Results obtained using simplified mass balance model gave slightly higher values than those found using proportional model. Erosion and deposition rates derived from proportional model varied from −16.02 to −19.40tha-1y−1 and from +6.80 to +9.62tha-1y−1, respectively. On the other hand, values determined using simplified mass balance model ranged from −17.52 to −21.10tha-1y−1 and from +7.21 to +11.31tha-1y−1. The comparison of the results obtained via these models revealed a good agreement within the range of 30tha-1y−1 soil loss and gain.