Evaluation of excess life time cancer risk due to natural radioactivity of the Lignite samples of the Nichahoma, lignite belt, North Kashmir, India

Naturally occurring radionuclides of the 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K present in the lignite samples was measured by using a low-background Pb-shielded gamma spectroscopic counting assembly utilizing NaI(Tl) detector for the measurement and to evaluation the radiation hazard indices and excess life time cancer risk. The average values of specific activity concentrations in the investigated lignite samples was found to be 45.36 Bq kg−1for 226Ra, 21.42 Bq kg−1for 232Th, 40.51 Bq kg−1for 40K and 79.11 Bq kg−1for Raeqrespectively. The average value excess life time cancer risk was found to be relatively higher than the world average. Moreover, the correlation analysis shows the strong dependence of excess lifetime cancer risk on measured dose and the radium equivalent activity.