Natural radioactivity levels in topsoil from the Pearl River Delta Zone, Guangdong, China

Concentrations of the natural radionuclides 238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K have been measured by γ-ray spectrometry in 796 topsoil samples from the Pearl River Delta Zone (PRDZ) of Guangdong, China. The mean concentrations for 238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found to be 140 ± 37 Bq kg−1, 134 ± 41 Bq kg−1, 187 ± 80 Bq kg−1 and 680 ± 203 Bq kg−1 dry mass, respectively. These values were all higher than the mean values in soil for China and the world. Outdoor air-absorbed dose rates, calculated from activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, ranged from 86 to 237 nGy h−1, with a mean value of 165 ± 46 nGy h−1. The corresponding annual outdoor effective dose rate per person was estimated to be between 0.11 and 0.29 mSv y−1, with a mean value of 0.20 ± 0.06 mSv y−1, which was also higher than the world mean value of 0.07 mSv y−1. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and the external hazard index (Ir) resulted from the natural radionuclides in soil, were also calculated and found to vary from 230 to 676 Bq kg−1 and from 0.6 to 1.8, respectively. The Raeq and the Ir in all the investigated regions were up to 75% higher than the set limits of 370 Bq kg−1 and 1.0, respectively.

► Topsoil samples are highly enriched with 238U, 226Ra and 232Th in the PRDZ.
► The 232Th and 238U distributions mainly depend on geological and geographical conditions.
► The 232Th and 226Ra were the main contributors to the higher natural radioactivity.