Determination of radioactivity level of Ergene river basin

Radiation in the environment have natural and man-made sources. A number of natural radioactive elements like 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and artificial radioactive elements 137Cs are present in soil and sediment in varied concentrations. In this thesis, it is aimed to determine the radioactivity in soil and sediment samples of Ergene River and Basin. In samples, radioactivity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 137Cs were measured by means of gamma spectrometry. Radioactivity concentration averages of soil samples for 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs are 27.42±1.43, 35.24±0.93, 687.59±6.16 and 2.77 ±0.32 Bq/kg Bq kg-1, radioactivity concentration avareges of sediment samples for 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs are 26.06±1.09, 24.21±1.21, 632.28±5.85 and 1.17 ±0.18 Bq kg-1, respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq), absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective döşe (AEDE), the external hazard index (Hex), the annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), and the lifetime risk of cancer (ELCR) are also calculated for the assessment of radiological risk. The mean value of the absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), Ra equivalent activity (Raeq), and the external hazard index (Hex) for soil were calculated as 62.6 nGy h− 1, 76.8 μSv y-1, 130.8 Bq kg-1, and 0.35, respectively. The same parameters were found to be 53.0 nGy h-1, 65.0 μSv y-1, 109.4 Bq kg-1 and 0.30, respectively for sediment.