A comparative study of 137Cs dose factors for constant and depth-dependent soil densities

Abstract

Accurate assessment of external radiation dose rates from 137Cs is essential for evaluating radiological risk in environmental and occupational settings. This study refines dose conversion coefficient calculations by incorporating depth-dependent soil density and addressing limitations in conventional methods that assume constant soil density. We calculated dose conversion coefficients for 137Cs in soil, considering both exponential and Gaussian distributions of activity concentration. Using two models, one with constant density and another with variable density as a function of depth, we compared dose rates to quantify the effect of soil density variations. Results indicate that dose rates are consistently higher when depth-dependent density is applied. The effect is more pronounced when 137Cs activity is distributed over larger depths (i.e., greater relaxation lengths) or when broader Gaussian distributions are considered. This suggests that assuming constant soil density may lead to underestimations of dose rates, especially in heterogeneous or compacted soils. Our findings emphasize the importance of accounting for density variability in dose calculations to enhance radiological risk assessments for areas contaminated with 137Cs.