Loat Bui Van, Somsavath Leuangtakoun, Vu Thi Kim Duyen, Khong Nam Khang

Main Article Content

Abstract

We have determined activity concentrations in 33 soil samples collected from Bolikhamxay Province, Laos. The activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides 226Ra,232Th and 40K in soil samples were measured by a gamma spectrometer with a HPGe detector. The average activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are 43.8  ±  5.6, 57.0  ±  7.3 and 426.4  ±  23.1 Bq.kg-1, respectively. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th in this work are higher than those of the world average values. Meanwhile, the  activity concentration of 40 K is almost the same of the world average value. The estimated average outdoor annual effective dose (E) and radium equivalent actitvity (Raeq) are 0.17  ±  0.02 mSv.yr-1 and 154.8  ±  16.1 Bq.kg-1, respectively.

Keywords: Gamma spectrometry, Activity concentration, Radium Equivalent Activity, Absorbed gamma dose rate, Annual effective dose rate, Minimum Detection Limit

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