Determination of Naturally Occurring Radionuclides Concentration in Environmental Samples in West Kirby Area Using Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to investigate and evaluate the level of contamination of naturally occurring radionuclides in environmental soil samples collected at a place from West Kirby using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe2825) detector has the ability to detect gamma-rays in the range of 3 keV-3MeV. This detector offers a very good resolution, low noise performance and almost ideal Gaussian shape in our analysis. Under our depth of interest of 0 – 48 cm, a total of six spectra were measured. From known values of gamma-ray energies, a calibrated curve was plotted. From the analysis, the mean activity concentration of naturally radionuclides of uranium-238, thorium-232 and potassium-40 obtained are 6.7 ± 0.1 Bq/kg, 5.6 ± 0.1Bq/kg and 398.2± 8.2 Bq/kg were found in the range of (5.37 ± 0.30- 8.86 ±0.40) Bq/kg, (4.37 ± 0.31- 8.72 ±0.35) Bq/kg and (384 ± 19 and 416 ± 21) Bq/kg respectively. Man-made radionuclides of americium-241 and cesium-137 mean activity concentrations are 4.3± 0.1 Bq/kg and 14.5 ± 0.3 Bq/kg were found in the range of (BDL: 5.95±0.32) Bq/kg and (6.66 ± 0.35- 29.2 ±1.5) Bq/kg respectively.