Determination of radioactivity level of water supply network in Trabzon province, Turkey.

In the present study, the radioactivity levels of water samples collected from the main water supply network in Trabzon province and districts and soil samples taken from the vicinity of the water network were measured. An Alphaguard-PQ2000 radon gas detector was used to determine the seasonal radon gas level in the water samples. An HPGe detector was used to determine the level of radioactivity in soil and water samples. The average concentration of 222Rn in drinking water ranges from 0.56 ± 0.51 to 13.3 ± 5 Bq L-1. In water samples, average gross alpha and gross beta values were measured as 8 ± 1 and 43 ± 1 mBq L-1, respectively. The average concentrations of 238U, 232Th, 137Cs, 40K radionuclides in soil were measured as 51 ± 2, 21 ± 2, 16 ± 1, 28 ± 7 Bq m-3, respectively. The average concentrations of 238U, 232Th, 137Cs, 40K radionuclides in drinking water were measured as 147 ± 5, 25 ± 2, 77 ± 2, 12 ± 2 mBq L-1, respectively. When the radon concentrations for drinking water were examined, it was found that the radon concentration of the three samples was above the limit value (11 Bq L-1) allowed by the US-EPA for drinking water. All other results are below the limit values.

Interpolated mapping and investigation of environmental radioactivity levels in soils and mushrooms in the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey.

The activity concentration of natural (238U, 232Th, and 40K) and artificial (137Cs) radionuclides was determined in 50 samples (obtained from the same station) from various species of mushrooms and soil collected from the Middle Black Sea Region (Turkey). The activities of 238U, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs were found as 84 ± 16, 45 ± 14, 570 ± 28, and 64 ± 6 Bq kg-1 (dry weight), respectively, in the mushroom samples and as 51 ± 6, 41 ± 6, 201 ± 11, and 44 ± 4 Bq kg-1, respectively, in the soil samples for the entire area of study. The results of all radionuclide activity measurements, except those of 238U and 232Th in the mushroom samples, are consistent with previous studies. In the soil samples, the mean values of 238U and 232Th are above the world mean, and the activity mean of 40K is below the world mean. Finally, the activity estimation was made with both the soil and mushroom samples for unmeasured points within the study area by using the ordinary kriging method. Radiological distribution maps were generated.