The Activity Concentrations, Radiation Contamination, and Hazards from Wastes and Soil Samples in Nasirabad Industrial Area, Chattogram, Bangladesh

Abstract

Soils and other solid wastes from industrial areas of Nasirabad, Chattogram are usually dumped or used for land development. Information about the radioactivity level presented on these soil and wastes enables one to assess any possible radiological hazard to humankind by the use of such materials. A total of 37 (31 soils and 6 solid waste) samples near from different types of industries along four kilometre range were collected. The presence and activity concentrations of naturally occurred radioactive materials (NORM) and anthropogenic radionuclides in the samples were estimated using HPGe detector of 40% relative efficiency. The activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were found to be ranging from 8 ± 2 to 131 ± 18.33 with an average of 21 Bq · kg -1 , 10 ± 2.69 to 133 ± 15.96 with an average of 40 Bq · kg -1 and 81 ± 22.68 to 930 ± 260.40 with an average of 449 Bq · kg -1 respectively. Besides this, some hazard indices like, the radium equivalent activity ( Ra eq ), external hazard index ( H ex ), internal hazard index ( Hi n ), and the activity concentration index ( I y ) were calculated to assess the radiation hazard in this region. The averages of calculated hazard indices were within the normal limits, except the activity concentration index, which shows elevated values. The outcomes of this study could serve as important baseline radiological data for future epidemiological studies and environmental monitoring initiatives in the study area.