Health risk implications of high background radiation dose rate in Kampung Sungai Durian, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia

Abstract

Terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate measurement has been conducted around Kampung Sungai Durian (Kg. Sg. Durian), Kinta District, Malaysia. The mean value of outdoor terrestrial gamma radiation (TGR) dose rate and indoor in the area are 458 nGy h-1 and 286 nGy h-1, respectively. It causes fatal cancer risk of about 9.90 x 10-5 per year to each individual. The activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in soil samples were measured by gamma spectrometry. It ranged from 32 Bq kg-1 to 554 Bq kg-1, 64 Bq kg-1 to 1 806 Bq kg-1 and 21 Bq kg-1 to 2 522 Bq kg-1, respectively. Activity concentration of uranium and thorium ranged from <0.49 mBq kg-1 to 996.38 mBq kg-1, and <0.21 mBq kg-1 to 1 274 mBq kg-1 in plant samples respectively, which cause fatal cancer risk of about 4.7 x 10-8 per year. The activity concentration in water samples ranged from <0.24 mBq L-1 to 31.96 mBq L-1, and <0.21 mBq L-1 to 5.69 mBq L-1 for uranium and thorium respectively. It causes fatal cancer risk of 2.70 x 10-8 per year. The terrestrial gamma radiation, activity concentration from soil, leafy plants and water contribute fatal cancer risk per capita of 9.91 x 10-5 per year