N. Damla

Radiological maps for Trabzon, Turkey

The activity concentrations and absorbed gamma dose rates due to primordial radionuclides and (137)Cs have been ascertained in 222 soil samples in 18 counties of the Trabzon province of Turkey using a HPGe detector. The mean activity concentrations of (238)U, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs in soil samples were 41, 35, 437 and 21 Bq kg(-1), respectively. Based on the measured concentrations of these radionuclides, the mean absorbed gamma dose in air was calculated as 59 nGy h(-1) and hence, the mean annual effective dose due to terrestrial gamma radiation was calculated as 72 μSv y(-1). In addition, outdoor in situ gamma dose rate (D) measurements were performed in the same 222 locations using a portable NaI detector and the annual effective dose was calculated to be 66 μSv y(-1) from these results. The results presented in this study are compared with other parts of Turkey. Radiological maps of the Trabzon province were composed using the results obtained from the study.

Environmental radioactivity assessment for Bayburt, Turkey

This study assesses the results of environmental radioactivity measurements for Bayburt Province in the Eastern Black Sea area of Turkey. Using gamma-ray spectrometry, activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K and a fission product (137)Cs were investigated in soil samples. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in various building materials such as sand, cement and marble and in drinking waters were determined. The activity concentrations vary from 16 to 54 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, from 10 to 21 Bq kg(-1) for (232)Th and from 113 to 542 Bq kg(-1) for (40)K in building materials. The mean specific activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in drinking waters were 93, 30 and 504 mBq l(-1), respectively. The concentrations of gross alpha and beta radioactivity in drinking water samples collected from four different sampling stations have been determined. The results show that the gross alpha and beta activities are lower than the screening levels given by the World Health Organization (WHO), which are a maximum contaminant level of 0.5 Bq l(-1) and 1.0 Bq l(-1) gross alpha and beta radioactivity, respectively, in drinking water. Indoor radon measurements were made in 44 dwellings in Bayburt by using Cr-39 detectors. Radon concentrations in dwellings in Bayburt varied from 17 to 125 Bq m(-3) and the average value was 56 Bq m(-3). The results obtained in this study indicate that the region has a background radiation level that is within the typical natural range and shows no significant departures from other parts of the country.

Radiological and chemical assessment of phosphate rocks in some countries

In this study, the radiological, structural and chemical characterizations of Mardin-Mazidaği phosphate rock, which is an important phosphate fertilizer source in Turkey were investigated and compared to those of several different phosphate rocks of Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Syria using gamma spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurement techniques. Elemental analysis results of phosphate samples showed that they were mainly composed of CaO, P(2)O(5), SiO(2), Al(2)O(3), SO(3) and Fe(2)O(3). Elemental concentrations of U and Th were calculated using (226)Ra and (232)Th activity concentrations, respectively. As a result of XRD analysis, the main peaks of the samples were found to be Fluorapatite (Ca(5)(PO(4))(3)F). The radioactivity concentration levels for (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in all phosphate samples ranged from 250 to 1029 Bq kg(-1) with a mean of 535 Bq kg(-1), from 5 to 50 Bq kg(-1) with a mean of 20 Bq kg(-1) and from 117 to 186 Bq kg(-1) with a mean of 148 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The computed values of annual effective doses ranged from 0.17 to 0.59 mSv, with a mean value of 0.33 mSv, which is lower than the recommended limit of 1 mSv y(-1) by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

Calculation of radiation attenuation coefficients, effective atomic numbers and electron densities for some building materials

Some building materials, regularly used in Turkey, such as sand, cement, gas concrete (lightweight, aerated concrete), tile and brick, have been investigated in terms of mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ), effective atomic, numbers (Z(eff)), effective electron densities (N(e)) and photon interaction cross section (σ(a)) at 14 different energies from 81- to 1332-keV gamma-ray energies. The gamma rays were detected by using gamma-ray spectroscopy, a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The elemental compositions of samples were analysed using an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Mass attenuation coefficients of these samples have been compared with tabulations based upon the results of WinXcom. The theoretical mass attenuation coefficients were estimated using the mixture rule and the experimental values of investigated parameters were compared with the calculated values. The agreement of measured values of mass attenuation coefficient, effective atomic numbers, effective electron densities and photon interaction cross section with the theory has been found to be quite satisfactory.

A study of environmental radioactivity measurements in the Samsun province, Turkey

This study was concerned with the measurement of natural and artificial radionuclides in soil samples and indoor radon concentrations in the Samsun province, Turkey. In soil samples, the values of individual mean activity of (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs radionuclides were found to be 31, 22, 341 and 16 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radiological parameters, such as the absorbed dose rate in air, the annual effective dose (AED) and excess lifetime cancer risk, were calculated. Indoor radon measurements were carried out with CR-39-based radon dosemeters at 127 dwellings in the Samsun province. The mean annual (222)Rn activity was found to be 106 Bq m(-3) (equivalent to an AED of 1.88 mSv). The seasonal variation of (222)Rn activity shows that maximum levels are observed in the winter, while minimum levels are observed in the summer. The mean lifetime fatality risk for the studied area was estimated at 1.45×10(-4). The results obtained did not significantly differ from those obtained in other parts of the country.

Radiological Characterization of Natural Spring Waters in Eastern Black Sea Region, Turkey

The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs radionuclides in the natural spring waters of the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey were measured using gamma-ray spectrometry. The mean specific activities of the radionuclides in the samples were 52, 23, 379 and 24 mBq/L–1, respectively. The overall annual effective dose from all measured radionuclides was much below the World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva Switzerland) recommended reference level of 0.1 mSv.y−1 for drinking water consumption. Gross α and β activities ranged from 1 to 188 mBq/L−1 and from 3 to 91 mBq/L−1, respectively. Concentrations of elements in waters were also measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. An analysis of variance and Pearson correlation analysis were performed for radioactivity and elemental analysis. This study provides background values of investigated nucleotides in the water from the region, which could also be useful in forensic investigations to distinguish potential contributions from point pollution sources.

Radon survey and soil gamma doses in primary schools of Batman, Turkey

A survey was conducted to evaluate levels of indoor radon and gamma doses in 42 primary schools located in Batman, southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. Indoor radon measurements were carried out using CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detector-based radon dosimeters. The overall mean annual 222Rn activity in the surveyed area was found to be 49 Bq m−3 (equivalent to an annual effective dose of 0.25 mSv). However, in one of the districts (Besiri) the maximum radon value turned out to be 307 Bq m−3. The estimated annual effective doses are less than the recommended action level (3–10 mSv). It is found that the radon concentration decreases with increasing floor number. The concentrations of natural and artificial radioisotopes were determined using gamma-ray spectroscopy for soil samples collected in close vicinity of the studied schools. The mean gamma activity concentrations in the soil samples were 31, 25, 329 and 12 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs, respectively. The radiological parameters such as the absorbed dose rate in air and the annual effective dose equivalent were calculated. These radiological parameters were evaluated and compared with the internationally recommended values.

Radiological maps in beach sands along some coastal regions of Turkey

In the present research, the gamma-emitting radionuclides in beach sands along the coastal regions of the Ordu, Giresun and Trabzon provinces, Turkey have been determined. The natural and anthropogenic radionuclide concentrations of the samples have been measured employing a germanium (HPGe) detector with high resolution and purity. The activity for 238U, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs of the samples were found to vary in the range from below detection limit (BDL) to 65Bq·kg-1, from BDL to 28Bq·kg-1, from 9 to 1936Bq·kg-1 and from BDL to 22Bq·kg-1, respectively. The activity concentrations were compared with those in the literature. The associated radiological hazard indices were estimated, and were compared to the internationally recommended values. The radiological map of beach sand in the surveyed area was imaged. The data presented in the study are crucial since they constitute a baseline for the radiological mapping of the region in the future.

Mineralogical, geochemical and radiological characterisation of Selmo Formation in Batman area, Turkey

This work deals with the mineralogical, geochemical and radiological characterisations of Selmo Formation in Batman neighbourhood. The upper Miocene–Pliocene Selmo Formation is common in the centre of Batman and composed of carbonated sandy claystones and silty–sandy stone lenses. The common whole minerals of the samples are quartz, feldspars, calcite and dolomite. The clay minerals are smectite, illite, chlorite and mixed-layer clay (chlorite–smectite). The geochemical mean values of the samples are 51.7% SiO2; 12.6% Al2O3; 6.2% Fe2O3; 3.6% MgO; 6.3% CaO; 1.1% Na2O; 1.7% K2O; 0.8% TiO2; 0.2% P2O5; 0.1% MnO; and 0.03% Cr2O3. In addition, baseline maps for the concentrations of each radionuclide, the radium equivalent activity and the outdoor gamma dose rate distributions have been plotted for the study area. The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs were determined to be 32, 24, 210 and 9 Bq kg−1, respectively. The assessments of the radiological hazard indices, such as radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate in air, annual effective dose equivalent, excess lifetime cancer risk, external hazard index and internal hazard index, were calculated and compared with the internationally accepted reference values. This study shows that the concentrations of radioactivities in the measured samples were within the recommended safety limits and did not pose to be any significant source of radiation hazard.

Radioactivity measurements and risk assessments of spa waters in some areas in Turkey

ABSTRACT The current study presents the results of the activity of radionuclides in spa waters, and evaluates their radiological influences on the population consuming these waters in the Central and Eastern Black Sea regions of Turkey. Since these waters are used for therapy and consumption purposes unconsciously, their radiological impact on the people was computed by taking into consideration the annual intake through ingestion of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 137Cs and 222Rn. The mean activities were estimated to be 11.35 for gross alpha, 6.23 for gross beta, 2.96 for 226Ra, 0.42 for 232Th, 0.069 for 137Cs, 0.19 for 40K, and 267 Bq L–1 for 222Rn, respectively. The estimated effective doses from spa water were found to be 49.77 µSv a–1 (226Ra), 5.95 µSv a–1 (232Th), 0.07 µSv a–1 (137Cs), 0.83 µSv a–1 (40K) and 56.03 µSv a–1 (222Rn). These values were evaluated and compared with related verified values from literature. Also, physico-chemical characterizations of spa water samples considered in the current study were investigated. This study would be useful for consumers and official authorities for the assessment of radiation exposure risk due to usage of the considered spa waters.