Evaluation of soil radioactivity in the areas of underground nuclear explosions at the Pomuk gas field site in Uzbekistan.

This study investigates soil radioactivity at the Pomuk gas field in Uzbekistan, a region with history of underground nuclear activity. Using a NaI (Tl) scintillation gamma spectrometer, soil samples were analyzed for concentrations of ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs. Concentrations were found to be in the range of 19.0–31.0 Bq/kg for ²³²Th, 12.0–32.0 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra, 450.0–634.0 Bq/kg for ⁴⁰K, and 2.4–11.0 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs. Surface radon flux density was measured using a coal sorbent-based passive method, with values ranging from 26.1 to 79.0 mBq/m²s. Mean activity values for radium equivalent (Ra_eq) and gamma representative level index (I_γ) were calculated to be 75.2–96.5 Bq/kg and 0.3–0.4 Bq/kg, respectively. The absorbed airborne gamma dose rates (GDR) varied between 41.0 and 52.0 nGy/h, while annual effective dose rates (AEDR) were 0.3–0.4 μSv/year. The radiological risk assessment indicates the area is within safe limits for the population and environment, providing a foundation for future radiological monitoring programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]