Assessment on natural radiation and external radiation doses in Binh Duong province

Abstract

This paper presents the results of studies on the natural radioactivity in Binh Duong province, including the analysis and assessment on the status of natural background radiation based on the data obtained through the field measurements of 2504 points and the activity of the radionuclides ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and137Cs in the 247 soil samples. The results have shown that among seven surveyed areas, the Di An area has the highest value of the average dose rate as 1.672 mSv/year; Phu Giao and Dau Tieng areas have the lowest value of the average dose rate as 1.002 mSv/year and 1.071 mSv/year respectively. The dose rate of the whole province has the average value of 1.376 mSv/year and ranges from 0.148 to 3.049 mSv/year. Calculations have shown that the average values of the population weighted activities of ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K are 37.77; 27.11 and 109.13 Bq/kg respectively. Absorbed dose rates are in the range of 12.20-101.24 (nGy/h) with the average value of 37.71 (nGy/h).