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Updated: May 13, 2026

Two-Dimensional Visualization and Quantification of Labile, Inorganic Plant Nutrients and Contaminants in Soil
Published on: September 1, 2020
Distribution of radionuclides in surface soils, Singhbhum Shear Zone, India and associated dose
A C Patra1, S K Sahoo, R M Tripathi
1Environmental Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085 Trombay, India. aditichem@gmail.com
Abstract:
Gamma emitters were estimated in surface soils from a mineralized zone in Eastern India using high purity Germanium detector-based high resolution gamma spectrometry system. Activities of (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th, (235)U, (227)Th, (234 m)Pa, (210)Pb, (40)K, and (137)Cs were 79 ± 50, 81 ± 53, 65 ± 23, 4 ± 2, 5 ± 4, 92 ± 50, 97 ± 45, 517 ± 201, and 4 ± 2 Bq/kg, respectively. Most radionuclides were observed to follow log-normal distribution. The correlation between physicochemical properties of the samples, like pH, organic matter content, particle size, and moisture content were also studied. Activity ratios of (226)Ra/(238)U, (210)Pb/(226)Ra, and (227)Th/(235)U indicated deviation from secular equilibrium in some samples. The associated annual effective dose ranged from 0.07 to 0.24 mSv and the mean was calculated to be 0.12 ± 0.04 mSv for this region, indicating it to be one of normal natural background radiation.
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