Estimation of natural radionuclides in the soil samples and its radiological impact on human health

In the present study, soil samples collected from 40 different locations of Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner and Jhunjhunu districts of northern Rajasthan, India has been analyzed for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K using gamma ray spectroscopy. The measured activity concentration ranges from 14 ± 8 to 37 ± 9 Bq kg−1, 42 ± 10 to 84 ± 11 Bq kg−1.and 304 ± 125 to 734 ± 141 Bq kg−1 with the mean value of 24 ± 10 Bq kg−1, 55 ± 11 Bq kg−1 and 549 ± 145 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq) of all the soil samples ranges from 119 to 209 Bq kg−1 with an average value of 146 Bq kg−1, which is lower than the safe limit 370 Bq kg−1 set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The total absorbed dose and annual effective dose of all the investigated samples has also been explored in the present manuscript. The corresponding values of external and internal hazard index of all the soil samples ranges from 0.31 to 0.58 and 0.35 to 0.68 with the average value of 0.39 and 0.46, respectively. It was observed that the soil of Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner and Jhunjhunu districts is suitable for construction purpose without posing any health hazard.