Distribution of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in beach sand samples from Mediterranean Coast of Turkey

Following Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, a huge amount of radionuclides were released in atmosphere and ocean. It's impact on the environment is of great concern to the good of the public at large. In this regard environmental radioactivity monitoring such as external dose rate and radioactivity measurements in environmental samples has been carried out. For this purpose, several beach sand samples were collected from south coast of the Turkey in September 2011 and radioactivity concentrations of Ra-226 (U-238), Ac-226 (Th-232), K-40, Cs-134 and Cs-137 were determined by gamma spectrometry using a high-purity Germanium detector. The measured activity concentrations in beach sand samples ranged from 4.0 +/- 0.5 to 21.5 +/- 1.8 Bq/kg, 1.8 +/- 0.4 to 27.9 +/- 2.4 Bq/kg, 19.0 +/- 2.2 to 590.3 +/- 28.6 Bq/kg and 0.1 +/- 0.0 to 1.0 +/- 0.1 Bq/kg for Ra-226, Th-232, K-40 and Cs-137 , respectively. However there was no sign of Cs-134 in the sample spectrum after Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Hence we can safely conclude that there was no significant material transfer from Fukushima to Turkey. The other activities are in good agreement with the published results of neighboring areas. The absorbed gamma dose rate (D) and the annual effective dose (AED) of beach sand samples were below the world wide average implying that the radiation hazard is insignificant. The data presented in this study would also be very useful to determine the possible future effects of the nuclear power plant to the environment. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.