Isaac Scientific Publishing

Environmental Pollution and Protection

Study of the Naturally Occurring Radionuclide Concentrations and the Estimation of Dose Rates for the Samples Collected from the St. Martin’s Island, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Download PDF (531.2 KB) PP. 39 - 48 Pub. Date: June 27, 2017

DOI: 10.22606/epp.2017.22001

Author(s)

  • M. H. Kabir*
    Department of Physics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh
  • M.M.H. Miah
    Department of Physics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh
  • M.M. Rahman
    Department of Physics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh
  • M. Kamal
    Atomic Energy Centre, Chittagong, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission(BAEC)
  • M.T. Chowdhury
    Atomic Energy Centre, Chittagong, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission(BAEC)

Abstract

The activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K radionuclides have been determined for Sediment, Fish and Coral Samples collected from the St. Martin’s Island, Chittagong, Bangladesh. A total of 7 Samples (4 sediments, 2 fishes and 1 coral) from 3 different kinds were analyzed by using a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector of relative efficiency of 38%. For sediment samples, the mean activity concentrations of 238 U, 232Th and 40 K have been found 17.243±2.14, 25.207±2.302 and 460.802±50.957 Bq/Kg, respectively. The mean activity concentrations of fish samples for the corresponding radionuclide were 10.86±16.615, 10.555±13.51 and 364.92±361.345 Bq/Kg respectively. Also for coral sample, the mean activity concentrations for the corresponding radionuclide were13.06±2.1, 16.57±2.65 and 84.96±43.29 Bq/kg, respectively. The radionuclide 137Cs has not been detected in any of the samples. For sediment samples, the mean radiological hazard parameter values of outdoor absorbed dose rate, indoor absorbed dose rate, external radiation hazard, internal radiation hazard, annual effective dose equivalent, radium equivalent activity and representative level index were 43.863±2.877, 52.636±3.452 nGy.h-1, 0.239±0.015, 0.286±0.018, 53.793±3.525 µSvy-1, 88.695±5.672 Bq/kg, and 0.673±.04375 respectively. For fish samples, the mean values of the corresponding radiological indices were 27.368±19.606, 32.841±23.52 nGy.h-1, 0.146±0.103, 0.175±0.129, 33.563±24.227µSvy-1, 54.052±38.446 Bq/kg, and 0.421±0.302, respectively. For the case of coral sample, the values of the corresponding radiological indices were 20.183±7.36, 24.219±8.832 nGy.h-1,0.117±0.014, 0.152±0.017, 24.752±9.02 µSvy-1, 43.29±5.466 Bq/kg, and 0.309±0.041 respectively. The obtained results of this study show that most of the sample’s values are lower and the remaining are higher than the World average values. The mean representative index value is less than unity which confirms that the St. Martin area is safe for the inhabitants and the tourists. The results will be used as a baseline data for further researchers.

Keywords

Activity concentration, hazard parameters, effective dose, absorbed dose.

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