INITIAL EVALUATIONS OF NATURAL ( 226Ra, 232Th and 40K) AND ARTIFICIAL ( 137Cs) RADIOACTIVITY OF ESKIKÖY MINERALIZATION AREA (GÜMÜŞHANE, TÜRKIYE)

Abstract

Within the scope of this study, the natural (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) and artificial (137Cs) radioactivity concentrations of the Eskiköy Mine area within the borders of Gümüşhane, which is located in an important metallogenic belt of Turkey, were investigated. In order to determine the natural and artificial radioactivity of the field soils developed due to mineralization, hydrothermal alteration and weathering, 12 soil samples were taken and activity concentrations of 232Th, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs radio isotopes were measured with a gamma detector. It was observed that the 40K natural radio isotope activities of the area mostly exceeded the weighted world average, and the 232Th, and 226Ra natural radio isotope activities exceeded the weighted world averages at 5 of the 12 sampling points. It was determined that the artificial 137Cs activity concentrations in the area were above the detection limit at 9 sampling points and above 3 Bq/kg at 8 sampling points. It has been evaluated that the high 137Cs activities detected in the Eskiköy mine area are due to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and similar anthropogenic effects. The mine area was also evaluated in terms of radiation risk in the context of medical geology, with parameters of radiological hazard indices, radium conjugate activity value, absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate, and remarkable findings were obtained. When all these findings of the study area are evaluated together, it has been concluded that the Eskiköy mining area should be studied in more detail in terms of natural and artificial radioisotope activity concentrations and their effects on human health.