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This study was carried out to evaluate the activity concentration of natural radioisotopes that exist in different incense (bakhour) samples collected randomly from the local markets in Baghdad, Iraq. Very few data have been published that focused on the concentrations of natural radionuclides in incense. The analysis was done using a high-purity germanium detector. The results indicate the existence of a wide range of radioactivity contents among the different tested products as follows; 9.5 to 53.1 Bq.kg-1 for the 226Ra, 3.5 to 21.2 Bq.kg-1 for 232Th and 332 to 1717 Bq.kg-1 for 40K. The mean radioactivity concentrations for the nine samples were 26.5, 10.4, and 794 Bq.kg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K respectively. Prediction of the annual intake of incense for a single consumer was difficult to achieve, therefore two scenarios were considered and the findings concluded that incense smoke is safe from a radiological exposure perspective for the presence of the investigated radionuclides.

Abstract Neutron tomography is gaining popularity particularly in cultural heritage research, for non-destructively analysing the inner structure of bulk metal artefacts, such as bronzes, but the induced temporary decay radiation is often considered as a drawback. However, this delayed gamma-emission can be put to good use: by performing gamma spectroscopy after neutron tomography, the interior elemental composition of artefacts can be obtained “for free”. Inspired by this, we propose a ray-tracing approach to non-invasively quantify both interior geometry and elemental composition using only a single neutron tomography experiment. This strategy aligns well with both the aim for efficient use of neutron beam time and the expectation from curators and conservators for minimal neutron irradiation. Here, we outline the core principle of this method, demonstrate the extent of its quantification capability on bulk objects of known composition by fusing neutron tomography and delayed-gamma spectroscopy data sets. We also showcase its practical application on an ancient solid-cast Indonesian bronze statuette, by which we gain insights into how the pristine inner bronze segregated into a different composition than the surrounding shell. Similarly, the method allows us to quantify the composition of a hidden offering in the statuette that consecrates the bronze for worship purposes.

Neutron tomography is gaining popularity particularly in cultural heritage research, for non-destructively analysing the inner structure of bulk metal artefacts, such as bronzes, but the induced temporary decay radiation is often considered as a drawback. However, this delayed gamma-emission can be put to good use: by performing gamma spectroscopy after neutron tomography, the interior elemental composition of artefacts can be obtained "for free". Inspired by this, we propose a ray-tracing approach to non-invasively quantify both interior geometry and elemental composition using only a single neutron tomography experiment. This strategy aligns well with both the aim for efficient use of neutron beam time and the expectation from curators and conservators for minimal neutron irradiation. Here, we outline the core principle of this method, demonstrate the extent of its quantification capability on bulk objects of known composition by fusing neutron tomography and delayed-gamma spectroscopy data sets. We also showcase its practical application on an ancient solid-cast Indonesian bronze statuette, by which we gain insights into how the pristine inner bronze segregated into a different composition than the surrounding shell. Similarly, the method allows us to quantify the composition of a hidden offering in the statuette that consecrates the bronze for worship purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The raw materials of cement contain radioactive elements that come from natural sources. Members of the decay chains of uranium, thorium, and potassium radioisotope 40K are the primary sources of this radioactivity. The natural radionuclide concentration levels in cement differ greatly depending on different geographic areas. To estimate the radionuclides concentration in cement specimens from twelve diverse Pakistani companies, gamma-ray spectroscopy analysis was used in the study. 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K had activity concentration levels ranging from 18.08 to 43.18 Bq/kg, 16.73 to 23.53 Bq/kg, and 14.24 to 315.22 Bq/kg, respectively. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) threshold for the 226Ra was surpassed by five of the studied samples. The indoor and outdoor dose rates as well as different radiological health hazard indices were also examined. The Indoor Absorbed Dosage (Din) for some of the samples exceeded the permissible limit. These samples also had a high Indoor Effective Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) factor, which makes them unsafe for interior construction purposes. The outdoor dosages as well as the hazard indices were well within the permitted ranges. The outdoor ELCR factor is low for all the cement brands, which makes them safe for exterior construction purposes. The findings were compared with published data from other countries around the globe. Finally, a thorough statistical analysis was performed and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (r) exhibited a very strong correlation between the different outdoor and indoor radiological health hazard indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processing of nuclear pulse signals based on deep learning (DL) requires a well-labeled data set. However, the current energy spectrometers can only give users the final results, and do not allow manual labeling during the pulse signal collection process. The presented (GaSim) is a Python-based gamma pulse simulator of the raw detector electrical output signal with excellent customization capabilities. It allows customization of gamma pulse signal parameters from various aspects, making it versatile and useful for a wide range of detectors. Additionally, it provides the required labels for each generated electrical pulse at specified positions, enabling the creation of datasets for DL development.

Current radiation dosimeters sometimes face accuracy limitations or provide only cumulative doses over long periods. To contribute to this area, we developed a portable monitor that measures the energy spectrum and dose of gamma rays in real time. To achieve this, we used an improved sequential Bayesian estimation algorithm. The dose rate was then derived from the energy spectrum by applying a flux-to-dose conversion coefficient. The monitor consists mainly of a CsI(Tl) scintillator and a multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC). In developing this device, we focused on striking a balance between measurement accuracy, ease of use, and portability. As an essential aspect of the research, we investigated the influence of the CsI(Tl) crystal size on the performance of the monitor to determine an optimal size. This was accomplished by calculating the detection efficiency and energy resolution through experimental measurements using standard gamma-ray sources and simulations using MCNP5. Within the scope of the research, detector response functions were created for each crystal size for an energy range of 10 keV to 3 MeV. Considering an optimal balance of detection efficiency and energy resolution alongside a compact size suitable for portable applications, the crystal measuring 2.6 × 2.6 × 1.3 cm3 was deemed preferable.

The current scenario of radioactive waste management requires innovative and automated solutions to ensure its effectiveness and safety. In response to this need, the Proximity Imaging System for Sort and Segregate Operations (PI3SO) project was proposed. It is a gamma radiation proximity scanner system for radioactive waste with the primary goal of speeding up some aspects of the waste management cycle while reducing direct human operations. The system will provide proximity imaging for hot-spot finding and spectral analysis for radiological characterization, enabling semiautomatic recognition, sorting and separation of radioactive waste. The core of the proposed scanning system consists of an array of 128 CsI(Tl) scintillators, 1 cm3 size, coupled with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), installed on a motorized bridge sliding along a suitable table in order to scan the materials under investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vineyards hold considerable soil variability between regions and plots, and there is frequently large soil heterogeneity within plots. Clay content in vineyard soils is of interest with respect to soil management, environmental monitoring, and wine quality. However, spatially resolved clay mapping is laborious and expensive. Gamma-ray spectrometry (GS) is a suitable tool for predicting clay content in precision agriculture when locally calibrated, but it has scarcely been tested site-independently and in vineyards. This study evaluated GS to predict clay content with a site-independent calibration and four machine learning algorithms (Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbors, and Bayesian regulated neuronal networks) in eight vineyards from four German vine-growing regions. Clay content in the studied soils ranged from 62 to 647 g kg−1. The Random Forest calibration was most suitable. Test set evaluation revealed good model performance for the entire dataset with RPIQ = 4.64, RMSEP = 56.7 g kg−1, and R2 = 0.87; however, prediction quality varied between the sites. Overall, GS with the Random Forest model calibration was appropriate to predict the clay content and its spatial distribution, even for heterogeneous geopedological settings and in individual plots. Therefore, GS is considered a valuable tool for soil mapping in vineyards, where clay content and product quality are closely linked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of the radioactivity level and associated risks has been performed for the mangrove plants. Twenty-five mangrove samples were collected from the Abu Fasi, Marsa Shaab, and Sowmaa mangroves in the Marsa Shaab area of the Egyptian Red Sea coast. The activity concentration values of the nuclides 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K for samples collected from sediments associated with the mangrove environments were measured. The specific activities in mangrove samples obtained in the Abu Fasi region varied as follows: 15± 0.8 Bq.kg-1 to 42± 2.1 Bq.kg-1 for 226Ra, 10± 0.5 Bq.kg-1 to 39± 1.9 Bq.kg-1 for 232Th, and 103± 5.2 Bq.kg-1 to 340± 17 Bq.kg-1 for 40K. Additionally, the activity concentrations of the mangrove samples collected from Marsa Shaab and Sowmaa mangrove areas ranged as follows: 28± 1.4 to 56± 2.8 Bq.kg-1 for 226Ra, 18± 0.9 to 58± 2.9 Bq.kg1 for 232Th, and 164± 8.2 to 531± 26.5 Bq.kg-1 for 40K. Moreover, the mangrove samples collected from the Sharm el El Madfea area showed activity concentrations ranging as follows: 25± 1.3 to 52± 2.6 Bq.kg-1, 15± 0.8 to 61± 3 Bq.kg-1, and 250± 9.1 to 583± 29.2 Bq.kg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K, respectively. The highest average values were observed in samples collected from Marsa Shaab and Sowmaa mangroves for the 226Ra and 232Th. However, the highest average value for 40K was measured in samples collected from the Sharm El Madfea area. The radiation hazard calculations for the collected mangrove samples showed much lower values than the criterion and worldwide recommended limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural radionuclides, particularly 238U, 232Th, and 40K are the main sources of radiation exposure. Therefore, their detection is key to radiation safety measurement, among others. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the natural radioactivity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K of 15 sediment and water samples from selected locations in Funtua town, Katsina state, Nigeria using gamma spectroscopy NaI (TI) and CR-39 Can detectors respectively. Data obtained show that, the activity concentrations in the sediment samples were found to range between 11.50 - 61.89, 7.15 - 69.46, and 646.01 - 1368.33 Bq/kg with average activity concentrations of 37.15, 35.66, and 914.73 Bq/kg for 238U,232Th, and 40K, respectively. These average values exceeded the worldwide values of 25, 25, and 370 Bq/kg respectively. In water samples, the values of 238U ranged from 0.20 to 36.78 Bq/L (̅x = 16.12 𝐵𝑞/𝐿); activity concentration values for 232Th radionuclide ranged from 2.75 Bq/L to 76.90 Bq/L (̅x = 11.71 𝐵𝑞/𝐿) and that of 40K radionuclide ranged from 42.28 Bq/L to 179.95 Bq/L (̅x = 111.81 𝐵𝑞/𝐿) respectively. These values are higher than the recommended value of 30000 g/L as reported by the EPA. The average activity concentrations of 238U,232Th, and 40K were found to be higher in the sediment samples than in the water samples. The estimated total annual effective dose AED in the water sample was found to be less than the worldwide values of 0.1mSv/y or 0.2 to 0.8. The excess life cancer risk ELCR of radon in the water ranged from 0.0983×10-4 to 1.8084×10-4 with a mean value of 0.7949×10-4. This value is less than the worldwide limit of 1.0×10-4. Therefore, the groundwater (wells) in Funtua town is said to be safe based on the effects of the activity concentrations of these natural primordial radionuclides and radon on the environment. However, the need for continuous monitoring should be a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The assessment of natural radionuclides in soil samples from artisanal gold mine sites in Iperindo, Nigeria was conducted using different analysis methods. Soil samples collected across three locations and within a control area were analyzed using well-calibrated gamma spectroscopy fitted with a sodium iodide detector. The average activity concentrations (ranges) of 238U, 232Th, and 40 K were found to be 61.55 ± 13.97 (33.40–87.00) Bqkg−1, 72.65 ± 16.83 (41.90–105.10) Bqkg−1, and 1134.99 ± 142.24 (720.50–1722.10) Bqkg−1, respectively for the mining areas and 15.26 ± 6.96 (10.90–20.10) Bqkg−1, 21.46 ± 9.35 (17.40–25.30) Bqkg−1, and 381.04 ± 51.27 (280.30–511.70) Bqkg−1, respectively for the control locations. The average activity concentrations of the radionuclides assessed were above the worldwide permissible limits for the Iperindo mining areas and below the worldwide average for the control areas. The investigation also assessed various radiological parameters, encompassing the radium equivalent, dose rate, annual effective dose rate, internal and external hazard indices, alpha and gamma indices, annual gonadal equivalent, and excess lifetime cancer risk. The recorded values for mine locations were 252.83 Bqkg−1, 119.98 nGyh−1, 0.15 mSvy−1, 0.85 Bqkg−1, 0.68 Bqkg−1, 0.31 Bqkg−1, 1.89 Bqkg−1, 850.23 μSvy−1, and 0.52 $$\times$$ × 10−3, respectively. Except for the radium equivalent, external and internal hazard risks, and the alpha index, which were notably below the recommended threshold, all the other radiological parameters exceeded the globally advised limits. All the radiological parameters from the control areas were below the worldwide average values.

This article discusses the development of machine learning algorithms for pulse shape discrimination in an organic scintillation phoswich detector. The researchers successfully identified gamma radiation signals from two scintillating components using a single-readout phoswich detector. Their Boosted Decision Tree algorithm demonstrated a maximum discrimination power in the 950 keV region, providing an efficient solution for enhancing radiation detection capabilities. The study highlights the potential of organic scintillators in detecting particles like dark matter and neutrinos. The document also discusses the challenges and future improvements for the phoswich detector. The raw data supporting the conclusions of the article will be made available by the authors. [Extracted from the article]

The assessment of natural radionuclides in soil samples from artisanal gold mine sites in Iperindo, Nigeria was conducted using different analysis methods. Soil samples collected across three locations and within a control area were analyzed using well-calibrated gamma spectroscopy fitted with a sodium iodide detector. The average activity concentrations (ranges) of 238U, 232Th, and 40 K were found to be 61.55 ± 13.97 (33.40–87.00) Bqkg−1, 72.65 ± 16.83 (41.90–105.10) Bqkg−1, and 1134.99 ± 142.24 (720.50–1722.10) Bqkg−1, respectively for the mining areas and 15.26 ± 6.96 (10.90–20.10) Bqkg−1, 21.46 ± 9.35 (17.40–25.30) Bqkg−1, and 381.04 ± 51.27 (280.30–511.70) Bqkg−1, respectively for the control locations. The average activity concentrations of the radionuclides assessed were above the worldwide permissible limits for the Iperindo mining areas and below the worldwide average for the control areas. The investigation also assessed various radiological parameters, encompassing the radium equivalent, dose rate, annual effective dose rate, internal and external hazard indices, alpha and gamma indices, annual gonadal equivalent, and excess lifetime cancer risk. The recorded values for mine locations were 252.83 Bqkg−1, 119.98 nGyh−1, 0.15 mSvy−1, 0.85 Bqkg−1, 0.68 Bqkg−1, 0.31 Bqkg−1, 1.89 Bqkg−1, 850.23 μSvy−1, and 0.52 × 10−3, respectively. Except for the radium equivalent, external and internal hazard risks, and the alpha index, which were notably below the recommended threshold, all the other radiological parameters exceeded the globally advised limits. All the radiological parameters from the control areas were below the worldwide average values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear radiation from radioactive elements may cause genetic abnormalities or causes dangerous diseases such as cancer. For this reason, it is essential to measure food contamination with radionuclides, especially seafood prepared from areas contaminated with industrial pollution. In this case, it is necessary to calculate the risk of developing cancer and determine the permissible amount of their consumption. In this work, the specific activity of 4 radioactive elements 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs was measured in 18 meat and skin samples, including 3 species of farmed fish, such as Cyprinus carpio, Pomadasys kaakan and Epinephelus multinotatus from the Persian Gulf, and 2 species of shrimp, including the marine Metapenaeus ensis and the farmed Litopenaeus vannamei. The results indicate that the specific activities of radionuclides in seafood, skins were higher than in meat, and the maximum concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K was observed in the skins of Cyprinus carpio (8.34 Bq/kg), Metapenaeus ensis (31.61 Bq/kg) and Epinephelus multinotatus (404.26 Bq/kg). For all samples, the amount of 137Cs was below the detectable limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural radionuclides, particularly 238U, 232Th, and 40K are the main sources of radiation exposure. Therefore, their detection is key to radiation safety measurement, among others. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the natural radioactivity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K of 15 sediment and water samples from selected locations in Funtua town, Katsina state, Nigeria using gamma spectroscopy NaI (TI) and CR-39 Can detectors respectively. Data obtained show that, the activity concentrations in the sediment samples were found to range between 11.50 - 61.89, 7.15 – 69.46, and 646.01 – 1368.33 Bq/kg with average activity concentrations of 37.15, 35.66, and 914.73 Bq/kg for 238U,232Th, and 40K, respectively. These average values exceeded the worldwide values of 25, 25, and 370 Bq/kg respectively. In water samples, the values of 238U ranged from 0.20 to 36.78 Bq/L ( ); activity concentration values for 232Th radionuclide ranged from 2.75 Bq/L to 76.90 Bq/L ( ) and that of 40K radionuclide ranged from 42.28 Bq/L to 179.95 Bq/L ( ) respectively. These values are higher than the recommended value of 30000 g/L as reported by the EPA. The average activity concentrations of 238U,232Th, and 40K were found to be higher in the sediment samples than in the water samples. The estimated total annual effective dose AED in the water sample was found to be less than the worldwide values of 0.1mSv/y or 0.2 to 0.8. The excess life cancer risk ELCR of radon in the water ranged from 0.0983×10-4 to 1.8084×10-4 with a mean value of 0.7949×10-4. This value is less than the worldwide limit of 1.0×10-4. Therefore, the groundwater (wells) in Funtua town is said to be safe based on the effects of the activity concentrations of these natural primordial radionuclides and radon on the environment. However, the need for continuous monitoring should be a priority.

This study focuses on measuring the levels of naturally occurring radioactivity in the soil of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, as well as the associated health hazard. Thirty (30) soil samples were collected from various locations and analyzed for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K radioactivity levels using a High Purity Germanium detector (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometer with a photo-peak efficiency of approximately 52.3%. The average values obtained for these radionuclides are 35.6 ± 5.7 Bqkg−1, 47 ± 12.5 Bqkg−1, and 877 ± 153 Bqkg−1, respectively. The level of 232Th is slightly higher and 40K is 2.2 times higher than the internationally recommended limit of 30 Bqkg−1 and 400 Bqkg−1, respectively. Various parameters were calculated based on the results obtained, including Radium Equivalent (Raeq), External Hazard (Hex), Absorbed Dose Rate (D), Annual Gonadal Equivalent Dose (AGDE), Annual Effective Dose Rate, and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR), which are 170.3 ± 24 Bqkg−1, 0.46 ± 0.06 Bqkg−1, 81.4 ± 2.04 nGy h−1, 582 ± 78.08 μSvy−1, 99.8 ± 13.5 μSv Gy−1, and 0.349 ± 0.04, respectively. These values are below the limits recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) in 2002. This study highlights the potential radiation threats associated with natural radioactivity levels in the soil of Swabi and provides valuable information for public health and safety.

This study was carried to assess the radiological health risks associated with occupational exposure to natural radioactivity in some of ceramic raw materials and building materials. The concentrations of Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40 were measured using a gamma ray spectrometer equipped with a hyper pure germanium (HPGe) detector. In the present work, the mean values of Ra-226 for fly ash, bauxite, ceramic colors and marble are higher than the world average value of 35 (Bq/kg). The mean values of Th-232 for clay, fly ash, bauxite, ceramic colors, marble and granite are higher than the world average value of 30 (Bq/kg). For K-40, field spar, ceramic colors, marble and granite have mean values that higher than the world average value of 400 (Bq/kg). The radiological health hazard parameters such as radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate, excess life time cancer risk, external hazard index and internal hazard index were calculated based on the mean values of these radionuclides. The maximum values of radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate, excess life time cancer risk, external hazard index and internal hazard index were 3299.98 (Bq/kg), 4429.658 (nGy/h), 3.703 (mSv/y), 12.962, 8.92 and 15.97; respectively. Also, the equivalent and effective doses due to occupational exposure were calculated with Dose Conversion Factors for External Exposure (DFEXT code).

Preliminary validation of isotope dilution gamma spectroscopy (IDGS) for plutonium concentration measurement was investigated in this study. A high 239Pu abundance plutonium solution was used as an isotope dilution agent. By studying the changes in isotopic abundance of 241Pu and 239Pu before and after adding the dilution agent to plutonium working sample, and combining it with high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry, a method for measuring plutonium concentration and isotopic composition using IDGS technology was established. In this experiment, the concentration and isotopic composition of the plutonium diluent working standard and the plutonium working sample were accurately calibrated by the controlled potential coulometry and mass spectrometry separately. Different gamma ray pairs with similar energy from appropriate energy regions were selected to calculate the isotopic abundance ratio, and the efficiency calibration was performed on this gamma ray pairs. The optimal volume and concentration of the plutonium gamma measurement standard solution were explored and determined. Using IDGS technology, the test samples with plutonium concentration of 2 g/L in the nitric acid plutonium solution and the abundance range of 239Pu from 57% to 70% were measured. The results show that within 1.5 h, the RSD of IDGS technology for plutonium concentration measurement is ≤0.68%, and the measured values are in good agreement with those measured by the Coulomb method, with deviations from 0.3% to 2.3%. When measuring the isotopic composition, the RSD of 241Pu/239Pu is ≤0.46%, and the RSD of 239Pu abundance is ≤0.66%. The RSD of the measurement results for two parallel samples of the same plutonium sample is ≤0.98%. With the optima dilution ratio range of 1∶4 to 4∶1, a small amount of dilution agent could achieve good consistency with the Coulomb method measurement results, but beyond this dilution ratio range, the deviation of the measurement results from the Coulomb method is larger. These results indicate that using domestically high-quality plutonium samples to prepare diluent working standards, adopting portable medium-high energy gamma spectrometry to directly measure liquid plutonium sources, and selecting the 241Pu/239Pu atomic ratio to determine plutonium concentration by the IDGS technology is feasible. It simplifies the sample preparation process, shortens the measurement time, and reduces the analysis costs. Compared with the isotope dilution mass spectrometry, IDGS technology is easier to operate and has a shorter analysis cycle. Compared with the hybrid K-edge method, it can simultaneously measure both plutonium concentration and isotope composition. Therefore, this technology can be used for rapid measurement of plutonium concentration in spent fuel solutions, providing technical support for the management of nuclear materials in our spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plants in the future.

We developed machine learning algorithms for distinguishing scintillation signals from a plastic-liquid coupled detector known as a phoswich. The challenge lies in discriminating signals from organic scintillators with similar shapes and short decay times. Using a single-readout phoswich detector, we successfully identified γ radiation signals from two scintillating components. Our Boosted Decision Tree algorithm demonstrated a maximum discrimination power of 3.02 ± 0.85 standard deviation in the 950 keV region, providing an efficient solution for self-shielding and enhancing radiation detection capabilities.

Spectroscopic analysis of radiological materials has been historically limited to radiological labs with older or less advanced scientific instrumentation. The development of double-walled cells (DWCs) at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has enabled Pu-bearing compounds to be removed from radiological laboratories and studied in our radiologically clean spectroscopy laboratory with state-of-the-art instrumentation. In this manuscript, we discuss the contributions of DWCs that have allowed the application of Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) in the shortwave infrared, and gamma spectroscopy at SRNL. Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the thermal decomposition of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) oxalates, alpha-induced damage to the PuO2 crystal lattice, and the effect of calcination temperatures on the quality of PuO2. These techniques have enabled methods to conduct PuO2 age dating since last calcination and estimate the calcination temperature with Raman spectroscopy and DRS. Additional spectroscopic information measured with DRIFTS has enabled the observation of the evolution of carbon species with calcination temperature, while gamma spectroscopy provides information on age dating since last purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil samples from vegetable farmland in densely populated wards of Nepal were analyzed for natural radionuclide levels, employing a NaI(Tl) 3" × 3" gamma detector. The study aimed to evaluate the causes of radiation risk, attributing it to soil contamination resulting from the rapid urbanization and concretization that followed the earthquake in 2015. The activity concentration of radium-226, thorium-232, and potassium-40 and the ranges observed are 2.080±0.084–33.675±1.356 Bq kg - 1 , 17.222±0.198–119.949±1.379 Bq kg - 1 , and 11.203 ± 0.325–748.828±21.716 Bq kg - 1 , respectively. The average values obtained for hazard indices are as follows: radium equivalent activity (82.779 Bq kg - 1 ), absorbed dose rate (36.394 nGy h - 1 ), annual effective dose equivalent (0.045 mSv yearr - 1 ), gamma index (0.291), external hazard index (0.224), internal hazard index (0.253), excess lifetime cancer risk (0.159), annual gonadal dose equivalent (243.278 mSv year - 1 ), alpha index (0.054), and activity utilization index (0.716). However, in most places, thorium-232 concentration is greater than those of the world average and recommended values. In specific locations such as Ward 4 in Baluwatar, the soil was found to have concentrations of Ra 226 and K 40 exceeding recommended limits. Despite this localized concern, the overall analysis of hazard indices across the studied areas revealed that most values were within permissible limits. This suggests that, on a broader scale, radiation exposure may not be a significant concern in the investigated regions. Nonetheless, the study recommends regular monitoring in additional locations to ensure a comprehensive and ongoing assessment of radiation levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radioactivity concentrations of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) i.e., 226Ra, 232Th, and 4 K in various chemical fertilizers being used in the agricultural soil of Pakistan were determined utilizing gamma spectrometry by employing a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The radioactivity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 4 K extended from 2.58 ± 0.8–265.7 ± 8.8 Bq kg−1, 1.53 ± 0.14–76.6 ± 1.07 Bq kg−1 and 36.5 ± 1.34–15606.7 ± 30.2 Bq kg−1 respectively. The radiological hazard parameters such as internal and external indices and annual effective dose rates were calculated, while excessive lifetime cancer risk factors for the indoor and outdoor areas were found in the range from 0.3 × 10−3 to 10.723 × 10−3 and 0.03 × 10−3 to 2.7948 × 10−3 of most fertilizers, however, some values were slightly higher than the UNSCEAR (The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) recommended values for potash-containing fertilizers such as MOP (Muriate of Potash).

Marine radioactivity monitoring is critical for taking immediate action in case of unexpected nuclear accidents at nuclear facilities located near coastal areas. Especially when the level of contamination is not predictable, mobile monitoring systems will be useful for wide-area ocean radiation survey and for determination of the level of radioactivity. Here, we used a silicon photomultiplier and a high-efficiency GAGG crystal to fabricate a compact, battery-powered gamma spectroscopy that can be used in an ocean environment. The developed spectroscopy has compact dimensions of 6.5 × 6.5× 8 cm3 and weighs 560 g. We used LoRa, a low-power wireless protocol for communication. Successful data transmission was achieved within 1.4 m water depth. The developed gamma spectroscopy was able to detect radioactivity from a 137Cs point source (3.7 kBq) at a distance of 20 cm in water. Moreover, we demonstrated an unmanned radioactivity monitoring system in a real sea by combining unmanned surface vehicle with the developed gamma spectroscopy. A hidden 137Cs source (3.07 MBq) was detected by the unmanned system at a distance of 3 m. After successfully testing the developed mobile spectroscopy in an ocean environment, we believe that our proposed system will be an effective solution for mobile real-time marine radioactivity monitoring.

The current scenario of radioactive waste management requires innovative and automated solutions to ensure its effectiveness and safety. In response to this need, the Proximity Imaging System for Sort and Segregate Operations (PI3SO) project was proposed. It is a gamma radiation proximity scanner system for radioactive waste with the primary goal of speeding up some aspects of the waste management cycle while reducing direct human operations. The system will provide proximity imaging for hot-spot finding and spectral analysis for radiological characterization, enabling semiautomatic recognition, sorting and separation of radioactive waste. The core of the proposed scanning system consists of an array of 128 CsI(Tl) scintillators, 1 cm3 size, coupled with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), installed on a motorized bridge sliding along a suitable table in order to scan the materials under investigation.

Spectroscopic analysis of radiological materials has been historically limited to radiological labs with older or less advanced scientific instrumentation. The development of double-walled cells (DWCs) at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has enabled Pu-bearing compounds to be removed from radiological laboratories and studied in our radiologically clean spectroscopy laboratory with state-of-the-art instrumentation. In this manuscript, we discuss the contributions of DWCs that have allowed the application of Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) in the shortwave infrared, and gamma spectroscopy at SRNL. Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the thermal decomposition of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) oxalates, alpha-induced damage to the PuO2 crystal lattice, and the effect of calcination temperatures on the quality of PuO2. These techniques have enabled methods to conduct PuO2 age dating since last calcination and estimate the calcination temperature with Raman spectroscopy and DRS. Additional spectroscopic information measured with DRIFTS has enabled the observation of the evolution of carbon species with calcination temperature, while gamma spectroscopy provides information on age dating since last purification.

AbstractThe outdoor gamma dose rates and the activity concentrations of potassium-40, uranium-238, and thorium-232 within the study area were carried out using calibrated hand-held gamma detector (RS-125 gamma spectrometer) and NaI(Tl) gamma spectroscopy. The in-situ measurement results of the gamma dose rate indicate that the hotspot is at location 4 with a value of 100 nGyh-1. The results from the NaI(Tl) gamma detector revealed the highest activity concentrations of potassium-40, uranium-238, and thorium-232 to be 288.09, 96.49, and 136.12 Bqkg−1 for sediments and 257.31, 66.93, and 96.57 Bqkg for water, respectively. The highest mean activity concentration of potassium-40 and uranium-238 was observed in Catfish with values of 151.87 and 38.00 Bqkg−1, whereas the highest value for the activity of thorium-232 was observed in Tilo Fish with a value of 89.02 Bqkg-1. In comparison, all the observed values are higher than the population-weighted average of 420.00, 32.00, and 45.00 Bqkg−1 for potassium-40, uranium-238, and thorium-232 according to UNSCEAR. Geologically, this may be attributed to the marine incursion of regional tectonic subsidence during transgression. Statistically, the correlation results confirmed that the enhanced outdoor dose rates at the coastline environment were caused mainly by uranium-238, followed by thorium-232 and then potassium-40 in magnitude. The mean hazard indices calculated for the samples were also observed to be within the global average values recommended by ICRP.

The requirements of NTD (Neglected Tropical Diseases) and technological regulations for the operation of NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) power units (NP-001-97 (OPB-88/97), NP-082-07) define the requirements for monitoring the specific activity of iodine-131 (the amount of iodine) in the NPP primary circuit coolants. The advantages of laboratory control include accuracy of measurement and the radionuclide composition of the primary coolant, measured using high-precision laboratory equipment. Instrumental spectra were obtained for the detection units BDKG-205m with various options for the placement of waste in a container, their composition, mass of waste, average density, and various activity levels of waste. The basic idea behind gamma-ray spectroscopy is to detect and analyze the energy of incident gamma rays. Gamma rays of varying energy and intensity are emitted from radioactive sources. The gamma-ray energy spectrum is produced when gamma rays are detected and examined using a spectroscopy instrument. The initial stage in gamma-ray spectroscopy is to detect gamma rays using a suitable detector. The detector captures and measures the energy of incoming gamma rays. Scintillation detectors, semiconductor detectors, and gas-filled detectors are among the detectors used in gamma-ray spectroscopy. The incoming gamma-ray energy is converted into electrical signals that can be processed and studied by these detectors. The spectroscopic system measures and records the energy of gamma rays when they are detected. The derived energy spectrum depicts the intensity distribution of gamma rays as a function of energy. The spectrum is a visual representation of the different energy levels found in gamma-ray emission.

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Deep underground environments are ideal for low background searches due to the attenuation of cosmic rays by passage through the earth. However, they are affected by backgrounds from γ-rays emitted by 40K and the 238U and 232Th decay chains in the surrounding rock. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will search for dark matter particle interactions with a liquid xenon TPC located within the Davis campus at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, Lead, South Dakota, at the 4850-foot level. In order to characterise the cavern background, in-situ γ-ray measurements were taken with a sodium iodide detector in various locations and with lead shielding. The integral count rates (0–3300 keV) varied from 596 Hz to 1355 Hz for unshielded measurements, corresponding to a total flux from the cavern walls of 1.9 ± 0.4 γ cm−2s−1. The resulting activity in the walls of the cavern can be characterised as 220 ± 60 Bq/kg of 40K, 29 ± 15 Bq/kg of 238U, and 13 ± 3 Bq/kg of 232Th.

Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area has been reported to have deposits of Uranium; hence this study was carried out to measure radionuclide activities in Mayo-Belwa soils and to monitor their potential impact on human health. Soils from a depth of 10 cm were collected from each location, using CANBERA NaI (Tl) detector, the activity concentration of radionuclides of 10 soil samples was measured. The radionuclide concentration ranged between 72.7069 - 116.8504 Bq.kg−1 for 238U (measured by 226Ra activity), 148.9168 -981.4994 Bq.kg−1 for 40K and 22.3332 - 108.5203 Bq.kg−1for 232Th. The gamma absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate, ranged between 61.3932138.1076 nGyh−1 , 0.0830 - 0.211 mSvy−1 with mean values of 95.1762 ± 21.5257 and 0.1216±0.0359 respectively. The values obtained were compared with the reported data from UNSCEAR, 2000 and ICRP 2005. The excess lifetime cancer risk ranged between 0.00026-0.00061 with an average value of 8.44×10−4. The gamma, internal and external hazard indices ranged between 0.4631-1.0975, 0.5969- 0.9978 and 0.3601-0.8087 respectively. However, dose rates recorded in all locations were above the 60 nGyh−1 recommended limits by UNSCEAR 2000. Furthermore, Ganglare had a gamma index above 1, implying a significant radiation hazard. Also, the average excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) of 0.844 × 10−3 was relatively high (t < 0.05) and compared to the world average value of 0.29 ×10−3. With the help of this study, we were able to establish the fundamental facts about the levels of radioactivity and related radiological dangers that exist in the soil of Mayo-Belwa Local Government.

The fundamental goal of the current study is to determine the mean activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs using gamma spectrometry for three locations, in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, which are significant and vital countries in the Middle East. The mean absorbed dose rate equals 22.35, 28.96, and 43.34 nGy h-1 for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The results are consistent with international reports. The dose contribution percentages for investigated locations are 24 %, 30 %, and 46 % for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, respectively. The obtained results were clarified by statistical measurements using one-way ANOVA test to determine the distribution and differences between the averages of the three groups under study, as they may be influenced by geological variations and human intervention. It was found that the Iraq samples followed a symmetrical, standard normal distribution, while samples from Egypt and Saudi Arabia did not. Statistically significant differences were found between the data from the three countries.

Although primarily deemed to be an ornamental stone, granite may also be ground into fines for use in cement mortars, where it exhibits high strength and durability. Both the 40K present in the stone and the natural decay series of its uranium, thorium and actinium components exhibit high activity concentrations. An understanding is therefore needed of the correlation among the different particle sizes in granite aggregate to assess their contribution to a mortar's activity concentration index (ACI). This study analyses the variation in ACI with particle size in three types of granite based on the chemical, mineralogical and radiological characterisation of five size fractions. The activity concentrations of the thorium and uranium natural decay series were highest in the finest fractions. A correlation was observed between thorium and the MgO and Fe2O3 normally present in mica group phyllosilicates. In two of the three granites, the mortars prepared with the smallest size particles had ACI values >1.

This study introduces the calculations of the radiation background, by characterizing the radionuclides and calculating their specific effectiveness in the environment of the city of Baghdad (soil and plants) using the gamma-ray spectroscopy technique. 20 soil samples at a depth of 20 cm were collected for 5 locations on the Rusafa side, where the site coordinates were fixed using the G.P.S device. A modern global gamma-ray spectroscopy system (DSA 2000) was used, with high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector with an efficiency of 50% and an analysis capacity of 2.2 keV with respect to the energy of 1332 keV for the 60Co source. The results of the specific activity rates of the radionuclides (214Bi or 214Pb), (228Ac or 208Tl), (40K), and (137Cs) in soil were: (50.735 Bq/kg or 0.525 Bq/kg) which is close to the value of the previously published results, as the highest value was recorded in Bangladesh (88.1 Bq/kg or 4.8 Bq/kg). The results of the qualitative effectiveness of the soil of the sites showed normal levels within the radiation background of Baghdad's soil. There was a significant convergence of the study's findings with other studies.

Mining generates significant amounts of waste that can represent a source of contamination for areas close to the extraction area, generating a negative impact both on the environment and the health of people. This study aims to evaluate the radiological risk derived from exposure to natural radionuclides contained in tailings from Peruvian gold mines and to establish whether the tailings can be used as raw materials in building materials. The mine tailings come from a mining project in the northern highlands of Peru. Radon exhalation was measured using Rad7 in a closed chamber and activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K radioisotopes by gamma spectrometry using NaI 3" × 3" detector. Maximum activity concentrations measured for 226Ra and 232Th were 15.38 Bq kg−1 and 11.9 Bq kg−1, respectively; meanwhile, activity concentration for 40K ranged from 182.7 Bq kg−1 to 770.8 Bq kg−1. All activity concentrations were below the worldwide average except for 40K. The radon exhalation rate varied from 2.8 to 7.2 mBq kg−1 h−1. The gamma index (Iγ), and radiological parameters, including the Radium equivalent activity (Raeq), and the external hazard index (Hex), being below the recommended levels by UNSCEAR, ensure the safe use of these mines tailing to produce a geopolymer cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K and their soil-to-plant transfer factors in some medicinal plants located in Nepal. The geometric mean values of soil-to-plant transfer factors (TFs) for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were 0.37, 0.96, and 3.50, respectively. This indicated that medicinal plants absorbed the highest amount of 40K from the soil, followed by 232Th, while 226Ra was absorbed the least. The average radium equivalent activities for medicinal plants (189 Bq/kg) and associated soils (182 Bq/kg) were within the international acceptable limit of 370 Bq/kg. According to the activity concentrations found in the medicinal plants, they do not present any radiological health hazards unless consumed in excessive quantities; however, continuous investigations are essential. • Medicinal plants absorbed the highest amount of 40K, followed by 232Th, and 226Ra. • The average Ra eq for medicinal plants and soils were within safe limit of 370 Bq/kg. • The mean TF values for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were 0.37, 0.96, and 3.50, respectively. • Medicinal plants pose no radiological risk unless consumed in excessive amounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity concentrations of the NORM were measured in thirty samples of plant cultures in agricultural soil irrigated with groundwater from different locations in the Makkah region in Saudi Arabia, using a high purity germanium detector HPGe system. The mean values of the activity concentrations for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were found in plants samples 10.41, 1.92, and 4154.92 in Bq. kg−1, for agricultural soil samples were 18.11, 16.12, and 1603.73 Bq. kg−1 respectively, and the irrigation water samples were found 1.57, 0.58, and 118.44 Bq. l−1 respectively. The mean values of Raeq, dose rate, annual effective dose, hazard indices Hex and Hin were 333.09 Bq. kg−1, 179.23 nGy h−1, 1.09 mSv.y−1, 0.89 and 0.92 respectively for plant samples. The gamma doses were higher than world limit values and the Hex and Hin were less unity. The mean values of annual effective doses for ingestion of radionuclides in the plants samples were 2.12 mSv.y−1 for children and 1.86 mSv.y−1 for adults, these results were higher than the world values. These results indicate that, the highest doses refer to the samples location in farm 1, while the lowest values were in farm 3 and farm 6, while the other farms were relatively high than recommended dose values. So, samples of soil, water and plant must be studied in the farm 1 for the highest results of the annual effective doses mSv.y−1 of ingestion of radionuclides in the plants samples for children and adults.

The heavy-ion inelastic scattering of the neutron-rich nucleus 29Ne to its excited states was studied using a 100.1 MeV/u 29Ne rare isotope beam on 181Ta and 9Be targets. The combined setup consisting of the GRETINA array, the TRIPLEX device and the S800 Spectrograph facilitates the simultaneous measurements of the two inelastic reactions, providing the first measurement of the transition strengths for this isotope. A sizable E2 strength B(E2↑) which amounts to 163(30) e2fm4 was determined in the excitation to the 931-keV state, demonstrating a large degree of collectivity. The present results of B(E2↑) are compared to various shell-model calculations, confirming the role of intruder configurations in 29Ne at the boundary of the island of inversion.

The main objective of the current study is to determine the distributions of the specific radioactivity concentrations (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) from terrestrial sources using gamma spectroscopy system (HPGe-detector). Forty (40) agricultural soil samples were collected from Wadi Al-Hussini and Tuban in Yemen. The study locations are famous for exporting coffee all over the world. The average of radio-concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were 61.95±11.57, 32.33±8.03 and 1045.17±153.47 Bq/kg for Wadi Al-Hussini and 65.20±11.59, 50.95±9.80 and 1078.13±157.57 Bq/kg for Tuban, respectively. The obtained results are higher than the average worldwide values reported by UNSCEAR. So, it is not acceptable with global safe criteria. Also, the radiation hazard parameters such as radium equivalent activity, absorbed gamma dose rate, outdoor and indoor annual effective dose equivalent, external and internal radiation hazard index, gamma index level, annual gonadal dose equivalent and excess lifetime cancer risk. All of these parameters are acceptable and within the worldwide values. The obtained results could be considered as reference data to follow up any changes in the future for natural radionuclides pollutants and their risks in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiometric monitoring of construction materials is required for estimating the interior and exterior exposure to ionizing radiation emitted by terrestrial radioactive elements in building materials. Using gamma-ray spectroscopy, the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40 K in fifty-two samples from eighteen different building materials commonly used in Erbil city, Kurdistan region, Iraq, were evaluated to assess possible radioactive dangers to human health. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40 K ranged from 1 ± 0.1 (gypsum board) to 130 ± 11 (granite), 1.3 ± 0.2 (gypsum) to 66 ± 8 (ceramic sample), and 18.74 ± 4 (gypsum) to 1061.708 ± 40 (granite) with an average of 28 ± 5, 20.7 ± 4, and 340.8 ± 18 (average ± standard deviation), respectively. Radiological indicators (activity concentration index, alpha and gamma index, hazard indices, interior absorbed gamma dose rate and the corresponding yearly effective dosage rate, and excess lifetime cancer risk) were computed to assess the health risks associated with these building materials. Consideration was given to the indoor annual effective dosage for common construction materials, the radon surface expiration rate, and the indoor radon concentration. The mean values of activity concentration were then inputted into the RESRAD-BUILD computer software to calculate a resident's long-term radiation exposure. The dosages were measured over a range of 0 to 70 years. From 0 to 30 years, there was a significant change in dosages; however, from 30 to 70 years, the dosages were reasonably consistent. This research demonstrates that granite samples are not safe for dwellings with poor ventilation (especially those without windows). In general, other investigated construction materials in the buildings are deemed safe for the population, since the computed values for these parameters fall within the well-being restrictions or criterion values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outdoor gamma dose rates and the activity concentrations of potassium-40, uranium-238, and thorium-232 within the study area were carried out using calibrated hand-held gamma detector (RS-125 gamma spectrometer) and NaI(Tl) gamma spectroscopy. The in-situ measurement results of the gamma dose rate indicate that the hotspot is at location 4 with a value of 100 nGyh-1. The results from the NaI(Tl) gamma detector revealed the highest activity concentrations of potassium-40, uranium-238, and thorium-232 to be 288.09, 96.49, and 136.12 Bqkg-1 for sediments and 257.31, 66.93, and 96.57 Bqkg for water, respectively. The highest mean activity concentration of potassium-40 and uranium-238 was observed in Catfish with values of 151.87 and 38.00 Bqkg-1, whereas the highest value for the activity of thorium-232 was observed in Tilo Fish with a value of 89.02 Bqkg-1. In comparison, all the observed values are higher than the populationweighted average of 420.00, 32.00, and 45.00 Bqkg-1 for potassium-40, uranium-238, and thorium-232 according to UNSCEAR. Geologically, this may be attributed to the marine incursion of regional tectonic subsidence during transgression. Statistically, the correlation results confirmed that the enhanced outdoor dose rates at the coastline environment were caused mainly by uranium-238, followed by thorium-232 and then potassium-40 in magnitude. The mean hazard indices calculated for the samples were also observed to be within the global average values recommended by ICRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radon exhalation rate is the rate of radioactive radon gas that escapes from the soil into the atmosphere. In this study exhalation rate of radon was measured for 33 samples of soil, in four districts of Duhok province, using two different techniques: one using radon concentration and other using radium content, by both alpha and gamma spectroscopy. For the radon measurement, alpha-sensitive RAD7 detector was used. While in the second method, radon exhalation rate was expressed as a function of radium concentration, measured by well type NaI (Tl) detector and other soil parameters. Analysis, shows that the average of radon exhalation rate, by the first technique, varies from 14.6 ± 3.2 to 55.7 ± 1.6 Bqm-2h-1, while by the second technique, it varies from 13.3 ± 2.4 to 50.6 ± 4.1 Bqm-2h-1. Overall, the measured values, for both methods at all the sample points, present a good correlation and less than global mean average recommendation.

Radioactive sources of isotopes 22Na, 137Cs, 60Co, 133Ba and decay chains of Th and U are analyzed by means of gamma spectroscopy. The instrument used, a cylindrical NaI(Tl) scintillator from Mirion Technologies (Canberra) with dimensions of 2 × 2, is characterized by its calibration and absolute efficiency. The peak energies of the gamma spectra obtained are identified and related to corresponding isotopes and matter-radiation interactions according to nuclear and atomic databases. From these data, spectroscopic methods are implemented to compute radioactive activities for each source.

The Low Background Gamma Spectrometer at Center for Environmental Studies from Cienfuegos, Cuba, was characterized in order to study the radioactivity in volumetric environmental samples. The 232Th, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs activities are determined in black sands from Bibijagua beach (Isle of Youth, Cuba). The calculation of different radiological indicators allows to check, that users of the Bibijagua beach are not exposed to any radiological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution and the energy spectrum of the neutron yield were investigated with the neutron activation analysis and MCNP simulation was carried out to verify the analysis results and to extend the results to a 3D mapping of the neutron yield distribution in the KSTAR. High purity Ni specimen was selected in the neutron activation analysis. Total neutron yields turned out to be 3.76 × 1012 n/s – 7.56 × 1012 n/s at the outer vessel of the KSTAR, two orders of magnitude lower than those at the inner vessel of the KSTAR, which demonstrates the attenuation of neutron yield while passing through the different structural materials of the reactor. Based on the fully expanded 3D simulation results, 2D cross-sectional distributions of the neutron yield on XY and ZX planes of KSTAR were examined. The results reveal that the neutron yield has its maximum concentration near the center of blanket and decreases with increasing proximity to the vacuum vessel wall.

One of the major route through which humans are exposed to ionizing radiation is via food chain, which is consequent of soil-to-plant transfer of radionuclides. This work reported the activity concentrations of 40K, 238U and 232Th in samples of water, soil and guinea corn grains collected from Beryllium and Gold mining sites in Kwara, Nigeria. In-situ measurements at approximately 1 m in the air was carried out using a well-calibrated portable Gamma Spectrometer (Super Spec RS-125), while the soil, water and the guinea corn samples were analyzed using a ‘3 × 3’ inch lead-shielded NaI (Tl) detector. The measured activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides in the soil from both mines are lower than the in-situ measurements. This was attributed to the contribution from other terrestrial materials on-site. The estimated mean transfer factors (TFs) for 40K, 238U and 232Th are 0.21, 0.17 and 0.31, and 0.46, 0.19 and 0.28 respectively for the Beryllium and Gold mining sites. While the TFs for 238U and 232Th exceeded the mean value of 0.0062 and 0.0021 for 238U and 232Th respectively, the TFs for 40K are well below the 0.74 for cereals grains provided by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The radiation impact assessment using the Monte Carlo simulations reveals values that were generally less than the global average values provided by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Hence, the risk of cancer inducement due to radiation exposure is within the acceptable limits for both mining sites.