Assessment of health hazard due to natural radioactivity in Kluang District, Johor, Malaysia

Abstract

The radiation survey of the ambient environment was conducted using two gamma detectors, and the measurement results were used in the computation of the mean external radiation dose rate, mean-weighted dose rate and annual effective dose, which are 144 nGy h-1, 0.891 mSv y-1 and 178 μSv, respectively. A high-purity germanium detector was used to determine the activity concentrations of 232Th, 226Ra and 40K in soil samples. The results of the gamma spectrometry of the soil samples show radioactivity concentration ranges from 19±1 to 405±13 Bq kg-1 with a mean value of 137±5 Bq kg-1 for 232Th, from 21±2 to 268±9 Bq kg-1with a mean value of 78±3 Bq kg-1 for 226Ra and from 23±9 to 1268±58 Bq kg-1 with a mean value of 207±13 Bq kg-1 for 40K. Radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and external hazard index (Hex) were 290 Bq kg-1 and 0.784, respectively, which were safe for the population. The mean lifetime dose and lifetime cancer risk for each person living in the area with average lifetime (70 y) were 12.46 mSv and 7.25×10-4 Sv year, respectively. The results were compared with values given in United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 2000.