Natural radioactivity mapping of Greek surface soils

Anagnostakis, MJ; Hinis, EP; Simopoulos, SE; Angelopoulos, MG

dc.contributor.author	Anagnostakis, MJ	en
dc.contributor.author	Hinis, EP	en
dc.contributor.author	Simopoulos, SE	en
dc.contributor.author	Angelopoulos, MG	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:12:07Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:12:07Z
dc.date.issued	1996	en
dc.identifier.issn	0160-4120	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/11955
dc.subject	Complex Data	en
dc.subject	Dose Rate	en
dc.subject	Epoxy Resin	en
dc.subject	Gamma Ray	en
dc.subject	Geographic Information System	en
dc.subject	High Resolution	en
dc.subject	Natural Radioactivity	en
dc.subject	Statistical Analysis	en
dc.subject	Surface Layer	en
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences	en
dc.title	Natural radioactivity mapping of Greek surface soils	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/S0160-4120(96)00085-2	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0160-4120(96)00085-2	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	1996	en
heal.abstract	A total of 1440 samples of soil, collected across Greece from the 1 cm surface layer, were analysed for natural radioactivity (Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40). The samples were air-dried and then hermetically sealed in 0.282 L plastic boxes covered with a film of epoxy resin to ensure that no gases escaped from them. Secular equilibrium of Ra-226 and Th-232 with their decay products was obtained before the samples were analysed using high resolution Ge gamma-ray detectors. A Unix-based in-house built complex Data Base/Geographical Information System (DBGIS) was used to analyze the data and present them in map form. The analysis of a second 1 cm thick sample, collected at several sites at a depth of 10 cm, led to the statistically justified conclusion that the natural radioactivity content of the surface and of 10 cm deep soil layers do not significantly differ. According to these results, the natural radioactivity content of Greek surface soils is rather low and is for Ra-226: 25 +/- 19 Bqkg(-1), for Ra-228: 21 +/- 16 Bqkg(-1), and for K-40: 355 +/- 220 Bqkg(-1). They entail a gamma-ray dose rate outdoors of 40 nGyh(-1). A statistical analysis showed that only 90 samples, collected at 67 locations, have Ra-226 content exceeding their mean value by more than 1.65 sigma. The Ra-226/Th-232 and Ra-226/K-40 concentration ratios were 1.10 +/- 0.48 and 0.06 +/- 0.03, respectively. Copyright 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.	en
heal.publisher	PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD	en
heal.journalName	ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/S0160-4120(96)00085-2	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:A1996XK59200003	en
dc.identifier.volume	22	en
dc.identifier.spage	S3	en
dc.identifier.epage	S8	en