Determination of gamma radioactivity levels and associated dose rates of soil samples of the Akkuyu/Mersin using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry

In this study several soil samples were collected from the Büyükeceli district where Turkey's first nuclear power plant will be built and radioactivity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs were determined by gamma spectrometry using a high-purity germanium detector. The measured activity concentrations in soil samples ranged from 9.8 ± 0.7 to 258.6 ± 15.8, 11.7 ± 0.9 to 85.6 ± 5.0, 173.8 ± 2.1 to 1949.5 ± 14.7 and 0.4 ± 0.1 to 72.2 ± 2.2 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs, respectively. Findings are in good agreement with the published results of neighbouring areas. The absorbed gamma dose rate (D) in air and the annual effective dose of soil samples were calculated to be 80.2 nGy h(-1) and 98.3 mSv y(-1), respectively. The results show that the radiation hazard in the Büyükeceli district is insignificant. The data presented in this study would be very useful to determine the future effects of the nuclear power plant to the environment.