Determination of the level of natural radionuclides and 137Cs in soil samples in the Kemerovo region, Russia: assessment of the health risk

The activity concentrations of 40K, 232Th, 226Ra and 137Cs in the topsoil samples collected in the five urban areas in the Kemerovo region (Russia) were measured using low background gamma spectrometry. The activity concentrations of 40K, 137Cs, 232Th and 226Ra ranged from 255 to 744 Bq kg-1, from 0.28 to 23.2 Bq kg-1, from 28.1 to 49.7 Bq kg-1, and from 30.3 to 69.1 Bq kg-1, respectively. Hazard indices, including radium equivalent activity, outdoor and indoor external doses, gamma index, average annual effective dose, absorbed dose rate and excess lifetime cancer risk were calculated to assess the radioecological impact on population. In some of the studied areas the radiation hazard parameters revealed possible radiological risk for human health. The obtained results were compared with values reported for other urban and industrial areas around the world. This is the first radioecological study performed in the Kemerovo region and obtained results can be used as a baseline data for enhanced radioecological monitoring.