The present study attempts to quantitatively estimate total potassium content in soil samples collected from different areas of Indian Sundarbans by gamma-spectrometry, exploiting the radiogenic properties of potassium and by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence technique. The elemental K concentration varied in between 2.08 ± 0.05 and 3.46 ± 0.06% in the soil samples. Besides estimation of total potassium, the activity of 40K was also estimated in the same soil samples and found to be in the range of 532 ± 8.9 to 1043 ± 13.2 Bq kg−1. © 2019, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.

PUNARBASU CHAUDHURI

Environmental Science

N NASKAR

S LAHIRI

University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University or CU) is a collegiate public state university located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.&nbsp;Within India it is recognized as a &quot;Five-Star University&quot; and accredited &quot;A&quot; Grade by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

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The University of Calcutta has secured the Fifth position among the Universities of India in the prestigious &quot;Indian University Ranking 2019&quot; list, released by the NIRF of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

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It was established on 24 January 1857, and was one of the first institutions in Asia to be established as a multidisciplinary and Western-style university. Its alumni and faculty include several heads of state, heads of government, social reformers, prominent artists, only academy award winner and Dirac medal winner in India, many Fellows of the Royal Society and five Nobel laureates as of 2019 which is highest in South Asia.

University Of Calcutta

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

The present study evaluates the radiological indices due to naturally occurring radionuclides (238U, 232Th and 40K) present in surface soil samples of Indian Sundarbans. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis were carried out to understand the probability distribution of the radionuclides, correlate and classify the different radiological parameters. Averages of absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose were found higher than world averages, whereas that of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), annual gonadal dose equivalent and hazard indices (Hin and Hex) were found below the maximum permissible limit. The data indicates that Indian Sundarbans poses no significant radiological health hazards. © 2019, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.

Estimation of radiological indices in Indian Sundarbans: a mangrove habitat

Quantitative estimation of total potassium and 40 K in surface soil samples of Indian Sundarbans

Efficiency calibration by standard materials of known activity is usual protocol for γ-ray spectrometry. In general, 40K activity is measured from proper efficiency calibration covering broad energy range within which the 1460.83 keV photopeak falls. However, less frequently, the activity of 40K is reported by comparing the area under 1460.83 keV photopeak of natural sample to that of standard. The present study shows that determining the activity of 40K by efficiency calibration is highly dependent on the nature of fitting of calibration curve. The present paper also shows that comparator methods are more reliable for reporting 40K activity than efficiency calibration. © 2018, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.

Anomalies in quantitative measurement of 40K in natural samples

This is the first attempt to generate baseline data on the level of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials, (NORMs) 238U, 232Th and anthropogenic radionuclide, 137Cs in surface soil of Indian Sundarban. The activities of 238U and 232Th vary from 39.9 ± 2.4 to 57.9 ± 2.5 Bq kg−1 and 47.3 ± 2.4 to 64.8 ± 3.1 Bq kg−1 with mean of 48.7 ± 2.8 Bq kg−1 and 58.3 ± 3.3 Bq kg−1 respectively. The corresponding median values are 46.7 and 59.9 Bq kg−1. The close proximity of mean and median values indicates normal distribution of 238U and 232Th. In most of the samples, anthropogenic 137Cs activity has been found below detection limit (BDL). © 2016, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.

Measurement of background radioactivity in surface soil of Indian Sundarban

This work describes the micro-spatial variation of elemental distribution in estuarine sediment and bioaccumulation of those elements in different mangrove species of the Indian Sundarbans. The potential ecological risk due to such elemental load on this mangrove-dominated habitat is also discussed. The concentrations of elements in mangrove leaves and sediments were determined using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Sediment quality and potential ecological risks were assessed from the calculated indices. Our data reflects higher concentration of elements, e.g., Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb, in the sediment, as compared to that reported by earlier workers. Biological concentration factors for K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn in different mangroves indicated gradual elemental bioaccumulation in leaf tissues (0.002–1.442). Significant variation was observed for elements, e.g., Ni, Mn, and Ca, in the sediments of all the sites, whereas in the plants, significant variation was found for P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn. This was mostly due to the differences in uptake and accumulation potential of the plants. Various sediment quality indices suggested the surface sediments to be moderately contaminated and suffering from progressive deterioration. Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn, and Ni showed higher enrichment factors (0.658–1.469), contamination factors (1.02–2.7), and geo-accumulation index (0.043–0.846) values. The potential ecological risk index values considering Cu, Cr, Pb, and Zn were found to be within “low ecological risk” category (20.04–24.01). However, Cr and Ni in the Sundarban mangroves exceeded the effect range low and probable effect level limits. Strong correlation of Zn with Fe and K was observed, reflecting their similar transportation and accumulation process in both sediment and plant systems. The plant–sediment elemental correlation was found to be highly non-linear, suggesting role of some physiological and edaphic factors in the accumulation process. Overall, the study of micro-spatial distribution of elements can act as a useful tool for determining health of estuarine ecosystem. © 2017, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

Micro-spatial variation of elemental distribution in estuarine sediment and their accumulation in mangroves of Indian Sundarban

A well-calibrated and highly shielded HPGe detector with considerable relative efficiency is an efficient tool for measurement of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) present at ultra low-level in the environmental samples. Efficiency calibration is standard protocol required for quantitative estimation of the activity of any radioactive sample. In the present work it has been shown that in the case of ultra-low level NORM measurement, one can comfortably by pass efficiency calibration by using comparator method i.e., comparing the peak area counts of different photopeaks of standard and samples provided they are counted in same geometry and comparable composition.

Measurement of naturally occurring radioactive materials, U-238 and Th-232-part 3: is efficiency calibration necessary for quantitative measurement of ultra-low level NORM?

Journal	Data powered by TypesetJournal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Publisher	Data powered by TypesetSpringer Netherlands
ISSN	0236-5731
Open Access	No