Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2017) 132: 56
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2017-11343-x

Regular Article

Natural radioactivity measurements and dosimetric evaluations in soil samples with a high content of NORM

¹ Environmental Protection Agency of Calabria, Italy (ARPACal), Department of Reggio Calabria, Via Troncovito SNC, 89135, Reggio Calabria, Italy
² Environmental Protection Agency of Calabria, Italy (ARPACal), Department of Cosenza, Via L. Da Vinci 49/51, 87040, Castrolibero, Cosenza, Italy

^* e-mail: f.caridi@arpacal.it

Received: 18 July 2016
Accepted: 3 January 2017
Published online: 30 January 2017

Abstract

In this article natural radioactivity measurements and dosimetric evaluations in soil samples contaminated by Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) are made, in order to assess any possible radiological hazard for the population and for workers professionally exposed to ionizing radiations. Investigated samples came from the district of Crotone, Calabria region, South of Italy. The natural radioactivity investigation was performed by high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. From the measured gamma spectra, activity concentrations were determined for ²²⁶Ra , ^234-mPa , ²²⁴Ra , ²²⁸Ac and ⁴⁰K and compared with their clearance levels for NORM. The total effective dose was calculated for each sample as due to the committed effective dose for inhalation and to the effective dose from external irradiation. The sum of the total effective doses estimated for all investigated samples was compared to the action levels provided by the Italian legislation (D.Lgs.230/95 and subsequent modifications) for the population members (0.3mSv/y) and for professionally exposed workers (1mSv/y). It was found to be less than the limit of no radiological significance (10μSv/y).