Natural Radioactivity Levels in Lake Sediment Samples

Abstract

The radioactivity concentrations of nuclides U-238, Th-232 and K-40 in lake sediments collected from 15 different stations at Altinkaya dam lake and 12 different stations at Derbent dam lake in Turkey were measured using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The measurement was done using a coaxial HPGe detector system coupled to the Ortec-Dspect jr digital MCA system. The average measured activity concentrations of the nuclides U-238, Th-232 and K-40 were found to be 19.5, 27.7 and 460 Bq kg(-1) in Altinkaya dam, whereas the activity concentrations were 18.8, 25.5 and 365 Bq kg(-1) in Derbent dam, respectively. The measured activity concentrations in the present study have been compared with similar measurements from different locations in the world.