ESTIMATION OF RADIATION AT THENGAIPATTINAM OF KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT, TAMILNADU

V.Sarojini, A.Tamil Selvi, T.Chithambarathanu

Abstract: Baseline activity concentration of the natural radioactive nuclides in soil, drinking water, vegetable and fish found at Thengaipattinam was determined. Measurements were carried out using a NaI based Gamma ray spectrometer, alpha counting system and beta counting system. Results of the gamma ray spectrometric measurements carried out for natural radioactivity levels due to 226Ra. 232 Th and 40K in soil, drinking water, vegetable and fish specimen collected from the Thengaipattinam coast of Kanyakumari district. These studies were carried out in the Health Physics unit of BARC located in the campus of Indian Rare Earths Limited, Manavalakurichy in Tamilnadu. Alpha activity was found to be higher in soil with 27546 Bq/Kg than in water 0.0065 Bq/l and 91.02 Bq/Kg, 115.72 Bq/Kg in vegetable and fish. The beta activity estimated was 94718.23 Bq/Kg, 0.032Bq/l,220Bq/Kg and 302.15Bq/Kg in soil water ,vegetable and fish respectively. Radioactive nuclides estimation reveals that 228Ac concentration was higher in soil 2893Bq/Kg and potassium activity was rich in fish . 232Th activity was also high in soil. The results of these studies are presented and discussed in this paper in detail.

Keywords: Radioactive nuclide, Soil, Water, Vegetable.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2015.0412036