Features of the spatial distribution of 137Cs, 40K, 226Ra, 232Th in the soils of the city of Kirovsk (Murmansk region)

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of soils in the city of Kirovsk. The purpose of the work is to establish the main regularities of the spatial distribution of natural and technogenic radionuclides in the urban soils of Kirovsk. To achieve this goal, soil samples were taken in all parts of the city. The following methods were used in the course of expeditionary work and laboratory research: soil, radiological, mathematical and statistical. The values of specific activity in samples of urban soils were: for technogenic 137Cs (from 3 to 48.3 Bq/kg), for natural radionuclides: 226Ra (from 11.8 to 44.2 Bq/kg), 232Th (from 9.8 to 34.8 Bq/kg), 40K (from 232.2 to 2086 Bq/kg). The values of the effective specific activity of natural radionuclides in urban soil samples ranged from 47 to 277 Bq/kg and 137Cs from 3.2 to 48.3 Bq/kg.