Vertical distribution of 226Ra and 210Po in agricultural soils in Buyuk Menderes Basin, Turkey

The vertical distribution of 226Ra and 210Po was investigated in the cultivated soils of the Buyuk Menderes Basin in Turkey. Five soil cores down to a depth of about 50 cm were taken from each site and divided into strata of 2-3 cm intervals. The samples were analyzed for their 226Ra and 210Po activity concentrations using radioanalytical methods. Down-core concentration profiles of 226Ra and 210Po in the soil cores from five sites are obtained. The activity concentrations of soil cores range from 80 to 1170 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra and from 10 to 870 Bq kg−1 for 210Po with the depth. Analysis of the vertical soil profiles indicate that the activity concentrations of 226Ra and 210Po for soil strata at all the sites have not extremely changed with depth.