RADIOACTIVITY OF SOIL IN THE REGION OF THE TOWN OF NIS, SERBIA.

The concentration of radionuclides in samples of soil collected in the region of the town of Nis, was measured and presented in this paper. The naturally occurring radionuclides, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, were found in all samples. In many of them, 137Cs was also measured, while the other artificial radionuclides were not detected. The measurements were carried out using the standard gamma spectroscopy system with high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The results show that the average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs are: 21, 26, 414 and 4.7, in Bq/kg, respectively. The sediment in the municipality spa Niska Banja exhibits a high content of 226Ra, 573 Bq/kg. The outdoor dose rates, due to the gamma radiation of the ground, were also determined for all soils. The average absorbed dose rate in air was estimated to be 39 nGy/h, while the corresponding annual effective dose is 0.048 mSv.

Assessment of indoor absorbed gamma dose rate from natural radionuclides in concrete by the method of build-up factors.

The specific absorbed gamma dose rates, originating from natural radionuclides in concrete, were calculated at different positions of a detection point inside the standard room, as well as inside an example room. The specific absorbed dose rates corresponding to a wall with arbitrary dimensions and thickness were also evaluated, and appropriate fitting functions were developed, enabling dose rate calculation for most realistic rooms. In order to make calculation simpler, the expressions fitting the exposure build-up factors for whole (238)U and (232)Th radionuclide series and (40)K were derived in this work, as well as the specific absorbed dose rates from a point source in concrete. Calculated values of the specific absorbed dose rates at the centre point of the standard room for (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K are in the ranges of previously obtained data.

Calculation of dose rate conversion factors for (238)U, (232)TH and (40)K in concrete structures of various dimensions, with application to Nis, Serbia.

The absorbed gamma dose rate in indoor air due to natural radionuclides in concrete as a building material was determined in this work. The dose rate conversion factors for (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K, for standard rooms as well as rooms with different sets of dimensions, were evaluated by the point kernel technique, using Harima (geometric progression) build-up factors. The values of the conversion factors, in units (nGy h(-1) (Bq kg(-1))(-1)) calculated for the standard room are: 0.76, 0.91 and 0.070, respectively for (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K. The fitting formula was obtained for dose rate conversion factors, enabling them to be conveniently calculated for a room with arbitrary dimensions. For concrete block samples collected in the area of Nis, Serbia, the measurement of the radionuclide activity concentrations was also carried out. The evaluated absorbed dose rate conversion factors were then applied in the assessment of corresponding indoor gamma dose rates, finding that all the concrete samples fulfilled the usage requirement.