RESUMO
The natural and artificial radioactivity in beach sediment sampled from the coastline of Ghana were analyzed using High Purity Germanium gamma ray detector. The overall average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs were estimated to be 43 ± 6, 22 ± 1, 393 ± 74 and 8.4 ± 0.5 Bqkg-1, respectively. Apart from 226Ra the mean activity concentrations of the measured radionuclides were below the world averages of 32, 45, 412 and 18.2 Bqkg-1 respectively. High 137Cs mean concentration of 109.8 Bqkg-1 was observed for one of the locations, which might be due to the occurrence of a nuclear incidence or other factors. The evaluated radiological parameters also had values below world averages, except for some coastal areas which recorded Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent (AGDE) values higher than the reference level of 300 µSvy-1. There was no significant risk associated with the radionuclide activities evaluated along the coast of Ghana. The correlation between the radionuclides and the radiological parameters were analyzed with the Pearson correlation matrix, cluster and PCA analysis, and they all showed similar outcomes. Spatial distribution maps were also created using ArcGIS software for a pictorial view of the distribution of radionuclides along the study area.
RESUMO
In order to estimate occupational exposure of workers in a therapeutic radon spa facility, radon concentration in the workplace air was investigated at Markhot Ferenc Hospital, Eger, Hungary. The investigated balneotherapeutic facility and its natural hot spa water are used for treatments and rehabilitations of rheumatic patients. Radon concentration, radon decay products at a bathhouse, treatment rooms and a consultation room were continuously measured in August and September 2018. In the present study, different levels of radon concentration among the observation sites and its clear temporal variations were found, though radon concentrations in the investigated sites were below 300 Bq m-3. Regarding such radon fluctuation and low equilibrium factor level (0.1), the annual effective doses of workers are estimated to be around 0.5 mSv year-1.