A Study on Determination of Natural Radionuclide Concentrations in Tap Water Samples Collected from the Districts of Sinop Province, Türkiye

Year 2023, Volume: 16 Issue: 3, 888 - 898, 31.12.2023

Serdar Dizman

https://doi.org/10.18185/erzifbed.1164167

Abstract

Since Turkey's second nuclear power plant is planned to be built in Sinop province, it is very important to determine the background levels of radioactivity in this region. In the present study, activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K natural radionuclides in nine tap water samples collected from the districts of Sinop province located in the north of Turkey were determined using a high purity germanium detector (HPGe). The coordinates of sampling areas were also recorded by GPS device (Magellan Explorist 510). The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K radionuclides in the studied waters were calculated to be 1.74 ± 0.49 Bq/L, 1.39 ± 0.35 Bq/L and 5.32 ± 1.41 Bq/L. In addition, annual effective dose equivalents from the intake of these radionuclides in the tap water samples were calculated for infants, children and adults and the found results were compared with the values recommended by international organizations. As a result, there is no risk in terms of natural radioactivity in the consumption of studied waters by humans.

Keywords

Natural radioactivity, Radionuclide, Tap water, Nuclear power plant, Sinop

Thanks

The author would like to thank postgraduate student Feyza Zeynep Aşık for her help in preparing the water samples for measurement.

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