Cesium-137 activity concentrations in soil and brick samples of Mirpur, Azad Kashmir; Pakistan

Background: The aim of this study was to measure 137Cs levels in soil and brick samples to set the baseline data and an indicator of fallout radioactivity for this part of the world. This study will help to probe, if there is any health threat posed by 137Cs exposure to the residents of the area. Materials and Methods: Twenty five samples of soil and 6 samples of bricks were collected from different locations of Mirpur of Azad Kashmir. A P-type HPGe detector was used to measure gamma spectra of samples. Results: Results showed that for soil samples activity concentration range from 0.076±0.071 to 2.94±0.17 Bq.Kg^-1 with average value of 1.39±0.17 Bq.Kg^-1. Similarly activity concentration of 137Cs in Brick samples range from 0.22±0.09 BqKg^-1 to 2.14±0.13 BqKg^-1 with average value of 0.73±0.10 Bq.Kg^-1. For soil samples the average values of outdoor, indoor and annual effective dose were found to be 5.12 x 10 ^-5, 20.47 x 10 ^-5 and 25.58 x 10 ^-5 mSv.y^-1 respectively. For brick samples specific activity of the 137Cs range from 0.22±0.09 to 2.14±0.13 Bq Kg^-1. The average values of outdoor, indoor and annual effective dose for brick samples were 2.71 x 10 ^-5,10.52 x 10 ^-5 and 13.23 x 10 ^-5 mSv.y^-1 respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the measured values were extremely small when compared with the annual dose rate recommended by ICRP (1.0 mSv.y^-1), as well as the annual external gamma radiation dose (0.48 mSv.y^-1) received per head from the natural sources of radiation.