NORM contaminated area identification using radionuclides activity concentration pattern in a soil profile

According to the requirements set by European BSS the exposure of humans and biota to ionizing radiation originating from natural radionuclides but under anthropogenically changed conditions should be managed within the same regulatory framework as other practices. Such situation creates the strong needs to have a reliable method to distinguish whether the particular case of natural radioactivity occurrence has resulted from human activity or it is pure natural phenomenon. In case of current activity of particular NORM industry there are no doubts however, in case of a legacy site, such question becomes crucial. One of the first warnings that the evaluated case has resulted from human deliberate or accidental activity is the lack of secular equilibrium among radionuclides constituting natural decay series. On the other hand some radionuclides, deposited on the ground surface due to radioactive fallout (e.g. caesium or lead isotope ²¹⁰Pb), create in long term perspective a specific pattern that remains characteristic for un undisturbed soil. Hence, it can be assumed that every observed change in it proves a human activity. In order to check this 19 soil profiles taken at undisturbed area and around different NORM heaps were analyzed. The measured radionuclides concentrations were used to anatomize any alternation of natural state, assess radionuclides migration and even investigate the history of a site of concern in the time horizon, usually long enough to identify any human activity. Results procured an easy method of identification different NORM sites based on observed ratios of particular natural radionuclides.