Numéro |
Radioprotection
Volume 53, Numéro 4, October-December 2018
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 255 - 263 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/radiopro/2018032 | |
Publié en ligne | 12 novembre 2018 |
Article
Natural radioactivity measurements and external dose estimation by car-borne survey in Douala city, Cameroon
1
Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I,
P.O. Box 812
Yaoundé, Cameroon
2
Nuclear Technology Section, Institute of Geological and Mining Research,
P.O. Box 4110
Yaoundé, Cameroon
3
Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences,
Hirosaki City,
Aoromi, Japan
4
National Institute for Fusion Science,
322-6 Oroshi,
Toki,
Gifu
509-5292, Japan
5
Department of Radiation Physics, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University,
Hirosaki City,
Aomori
036-8564, Japan
* Corresponding author: saidous2002@yahoo.fr
Received:
23
January
2018
Accepted:
27
July
2018
A car-borne survey was carried out in Douala, the largest city in Cameroon to make a detailed distribution map of the absorbed dose rate in the city, to locate the high natural radiation areas useful later to carry out indoor radon, thoron, and thoron progeny measurements. Gamma-ray dose rates were measured using 3-in × 3-in NaI(Tl) detector. Activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in soil from Douala city were determined by two methods: the first, using in situ gamma spectrometry and the second, at the laboratory using a NaI(Tl) detector. A heterogeneous distribution of absorbed dose rates in air was observed on the dose rate distribution map, and varies from 29 to 86 nGy h−1 with an average of 50 nGy h−1, lower than the world average value of 59 nGy h−1. The activity concentrations with NaI(Tl) detector varied from 18 to 47 Bq kg−1 for 238U, 21 to 54 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, and 10 to 410 Bq kg−1 for 40K with averages of 29, 38, and 202 Bq kg−1 respectively, for in situ measurements. They vary between 29–98 Bq kg−1 for 238U, 29–92 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, and 40 to 79 Bq kg−1 for 40K, with averages of 60, 57, and 56 Bq kg−1 respectively for soil samples collected at Douala III subdivision. The highest value of the annual effective dose for in situ measurements by car was observed at Ndogbong and was found to be 0.7 mSv y−1, higher than the world average value of 0.5 mSv y−1.
Key words: car-borne survey / NaI(Tl) detector / natural radioactivity / air absorbed dose rate / external effective dose
© EDP Sciences 2018
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