Speaker
Dr
Prasong Kessaratikoon
(Nuclear and Material Physics Research Unit (NuMPRU), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Muang, Songkhla, THAILAND 90000)
Description
The specific activities of natural ($^{40}$K, $^{226}$Ra and $^{232}$Th) and anthropogenic ($^{137}$Cs) radionuclides in 135 surface soil samples collected from 7 districts in Satun province in the southern region of Thailand were measured and determined. Experimental results were obtained by using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector and gamma spectrometry analysis system. The KCL, IAEA/RGU-1, IAEA/RGTh-1 and IAEA/SL-2 reference materials were used to analyze the concentration of $^{40}$K, $^{226}$Ra $^{232}$Th and $^{137}$Cs in all samples. It was found that the specific activities of $^{40}$K, $^{226}$Ra, $^{232}$Th and $^{137}$Cs ranged from 292.84 $-$ 17260.59, 5.62 $-$ 812.02, 1.49 $-$ 409.53 and 2.04 $-$ 16.28 Bq/kg with mean values of 4146.73 $\pm$ 251.13, 102.54 $\pm$ 7.05, 124.46 $\pm$ 4.52 and 5.55 $\pm$ 2.41 Bq/kg, respectively. Furthermore, four radiological hazard indices which are gamma absorbed dose rate (D), radium equivalent activity (Ra$_e$$_q$), external hazard index (H$_e$$_x$), and annual effective dose rate (AED$_o$$_u$$_t$) in the investigated area were also studied and evaluated. The average values of D, Ra$_e$$_q$, H$_e$$_x$ and AED$_o$$_u$$_t$ were equal to 299.03 $\pm$ 16.58 nGy/h, 604.83 $\pm$ 33.07 Bq/kg, 1.63 $\pm$ 0.09 and 0.37 $\pm$ 0.02 mSv/y, respectively. The results were also compared with the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) annual report data, Thailand and global radioactivity measurement and evaluations. Moreover, the result can be used to create the radioactive contour maps of the investigated area.
Author
Dr
Prasong Kessaratikoon
(Nuclear and Material Physics Research Unit (NuMPRU), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Muang, Songkhla, THAILAND 90000)
Co-authors
Ms
Marina Meena
(Nuclear and Material Physics Research Unit (NuMPRU), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Muang, Songkhla, THAILAND 90000)
Ms
Ruthairat Boonkrongcheep
(Nuclear and Material Physics Research Unit (NuMPRU), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Muang, Songkhla, THAILAND 90000)
Mrs
Suchin Udomsomporn
(Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP), 16 Vibhavadi Rangsit Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok, THAILAND10900)
Mr
Supphawut Benjakul
(Nuclear and Material Physics Research Unit (NuMPRU), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Muang, Songkhla, THAILAND 90000)
