Radionuclide concentrations in salt pans in the coastal area of Cox’s bazar, Bangladesh

Radionuclide concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs, 134Cs and 40K in samples of water, soil and salt from three gradients of salt pans (reservoir, condenser and crystalliser) in the coastal area of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and in samples of refined salts were measured using γ-spectrometry. The activities of 226Ra in the salt pans were found to be in the range 3•18±1•02 Bq l-1 in water to 25•17±5•76 Bq kg-1 in soil; 232Th activities were 2•01±0•89 Bq l-1 in water to 42•33±2•54 Bq kg-1 in soil, and 40K activities ranged from 109•60±27•77 Bq l-1 in water to 651•89±65•89 Bq kg-1 in soil. No 137Cs or 134Cs was found in soil, salt and water from the salt pans investigated.