Affiliations 

  • 1 Infocomm Research Alliance, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia sklee@utm.my sklee88@hotmail.com
  • 2 Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Radiat Prot Dosimetry, 2014 Dec;162(3):345-50.
PMID: 24214911 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/nct273

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the gross alpha and gross beta activity concentrations from the different soil types found in the Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. A total of 128 soil samples were collected and their dose rates were measured 1 m above the ground. Gross alpha and gross beta activity measurements were carried out using gas flow proportional counter, Tennelec Series 5 LB5500 Automatic Low Background Counting System. The alpha activity concentration ranged from 15 to 9634 Bq kg(-1) with a mean value of 1558±121 Bq kg(-1). The beta activity concentration ranged from 142 to 6173 Bq kg(-1) with a mean value of 1112±32 Bq kg(-1). High alpha and beta activity concentrations are from the same soil type. The results of the analysis show a strong correlation between the gross alpha activity concentration and dose rate (R = 0.92). The data obtained can be used as a database for each soil type.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.