Radioactivity in soils of Kosovo and radiological implications

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the presence of the main radionuclides from natural and artificial radioactivity in the soil of Kosovo, using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The mean activity concentration for Ra-226, Th-232, K-40, and Cs-137 was 22.32 +/- 1.41, 22.14 +/- 1.31, 358.16 +/- 8.85, and 12.94 +/- 0.44 Bq/kg, respectively. Radium equivalent activity ranged from 47 to 100 Bq/kg. The mean of calculated values for the gamma index (I-gamma), external hazard index (H-ex), absorbed dose rate (ADR), annual gonadal dose rate (AGDE), annual effective dose rate (AEDE), and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were 0.61, 0.22, 40 nGy/h, 275 mu Sv/year, 49 mu Sv/year, and 170, respectively. In conclusion, the radiological parameters arising from the soil samples of Kosovo belong to the normal range of radionuclides, compared to those compiled by UNSCEAR from worldwide reports; therefore, health hazards are insignificant.