Break | AIChE

Break

The project demonstrates the amount of naturally occurring radioactivity in the soil of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. A sodium iodide detector was used to evaluate the activity of naturally occurring radionuclides in these soil samples. Activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K were found in the range: 32.00-111.38 Bq kg-1 , 33.52-130.04 Bq kg-1, and 342.50-897.71 Bq kg-1 , respectively. These values are well within the permissible
range as recommended by UNSCEAR. The soil samples with the highest activity concentrations were primarily found in the valley's northern region. The activity concentrations were also used to calculate the radiation hazard indices: the mean value obtained were 96.63 nGy hr-1 for Absorbed Gamma Dose Rate in Air, 200.04 Bq kg-1 for Radium Equivalent Activity, the 0.12 mSv yr-1 for Annual Effective Dose, and 0.55 for
External Hazard Index. These hazard indices were used to calculate the possible radiological health risk from the soil, and the dose rates associated with it were substantially lower than the legal limit. In the research area, the data show that there is no radiation threat to the population's health. In addition, the findings of this study provide baseline information on possible radionuclides that are primarily responsible for natural radiation exposure.