Radioactivity level of soil around Baqiao coal-fired power plant in China

摘要

Natural radioactivity level of soil around Baqiao coal-fired power plant in China was determined using gamma ray spectrometry. The concentrations of ~(226)Ra, ~(232)Th and ~(40)K in the studied soil samples range from 27.6 to 48.8, 44.4 to 61.4 and 6~(40).2 to 992.2 Bq kg~(-1) with an average of 36.1, 51.1 and 733.9 Bq kg~(-1) respectively, which are slightly higher than the average values of Shaanxi soil. The radium equivalent activity, the air absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose rate were calculated and compared with the internationally reported or reference values. The radium equivalent activities of the studied samples are below the internationally accepted values. The air absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose rate received by the local residents due to the natural radionuclides in soil are slightly higher than the mean value of Xi'an and worldwide.