Distribution of natural radioactivity and assessment of radioactive dose of Western Anatolian plutons, Turkey

Abstract

The distribution of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in 70 granite samples obtained from 13 Western Anatolian plutons (Turkey) was measured by using γ-ray spectroscopy. The activities of the measured radionuclides varied up to 259 Bq kg 1 for 226Ra, up to 241 Bq kg 1for 232Th, and up to 2518 Bq kg 1 for 40K, with mean values of 66 (±44), 90 (±47), and 1097 (±410) Bq kg 1, respectively, which are smaller than the mean values given for granites worldwide. The mean value of the increase on the external γ-radiation effective dose rate is 0.21 (±0.09) mSv year 1, varying by