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Assessment of the fate and behavior of naturally occurring thorium and uranium in the environment of central Sri Lanka

Ratnayake, Sanduni Yasanka ORCID iD icon

Abstract (englisch):

Although Sri Lankan coastal areas are well-known for their high background radiation levels, mostly due to Th-bearing minerals, higher natural background radiation levels inland were discovered in 2015. The radioactivity data collected at this location raised concern regarding the risk of public radiation exposure since the screened area comprised a school playground.
The present study reports on-site radioactivity measurements and geochemical analyses of environmental samples, such as four soil samples, two grass samples and six water samples from around the area of study. Subsequent series of batch and column experiments with the soil samples were carried out to better understand the environmental risk and potential mobility of dose-dominating NRs in the area. Since the mobility and bioavailability of NRs in the environment strongly depend on their aqueous speciation, adsorption behavior and the solubility of relevant solid phases, classical sequential and single extraction methods were applied and modern spectroscopic techniques were used to gain insight.
Gamma spectrometry from the soil samples clearly showed the dominant contribution of Th-232 and progenies to total activity ranging between 4440.0 ± 364.7 and 7037.9 ± 647.0 Bq kg-1 followed by K-40 in the range from 339.6 ± 16.9 to 538.9 ± 55.8 Bq kg-1 and U-238 including progenies in 318.7 ± 88.7 – 510.9 ± 106.3 Bq kg-1. ... mehr


Volltext §
DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000133784
Veröffentlicht am 22.06.2021
Cover der Publikation
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung (INE)
Publikationstyp Hochschulschrift
Publikationsdatum 22.06.2021
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator KITopen-ID: 1000133784
HGF-Programm 32.11.01 (POF IV, LK 01) Nuclear Waste Disposal
Verlag Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Umfang xxii, 205 S.
Art der Arbeit Dissertation
Fakultät Fakultät für Chemie und Biowissenschaften (CHEM-BIO)
Institut Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung (INE)
Prüfungsdatum 15.04.2021
Referent/Betreuer Geckeis, H.
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