ASSESSMENT OF SOIL-RADIUM CONTENT, INDOOR RADON ACTIVITY AND THE ASSOCIATED RADIATION RISKS IN KOHIMA TOWN, NAGALAND

Abstract

Measurements of the radium content in soil samples and adjacent indoor radon activity measurement from sites located in Kohima town of Nagaland is reported. Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (LR-115 Type2 films) was used and the radium content are found to vary from 14.56 to 27.29 Bq.kg^-1 with an arithmetic mean value of 18.98 ± 2.89 Bq.kg^-1 and a geometric mean value of 18.78 ± 1.15 Bq.kg^-1 inthe studied soil samples. The indoor radon activity concentrations measured are found to range between 25.9 to 75.5 Bq.m^-3 with an arithmetic mean value of 49.2 ± 14.7 Bq.m^-3 and a geometric mean value of 47.13 ± 1.35 Bq.m^-3. A weak positive linear correlation is observed between radium content of the soil samples and indoor radon activity concentration at the study sites.