DISTRIBUTION OF SOME NATURAL AND MAN-MADE RADIONUCLIDES IN SOIL FROM THE CITY OF VELES (REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA) AND ITS ENVIRONS

A systematic study of soil radioactivity in the metallurgical centre of the Republic of Macedonia, the city, of Veles and its em-irons, was carried out. The measurement of the radioactivity, was performed in 55 samples front evenly. distributed sampling sites. The gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity measurements were made as a screening, using a low background gas-flow proportional counter. For the analysis of K-40, U-238, Th-232 and Cs-137, a P-type coaxial high purity germanium detector was used. The values for the activity, concentrations of the natural radionuclides fall well within the worldwide range as reported in the literature. It is shown that the activity of man-made radionuclides, except for (CS)-C-137, is below the detection limit. (CS)-C-137 originated front the atmospheric deposition and present in soil in the activity, concentration range of 2-358 Bq kg(-1) is irregularly, distributed over the sampled territory owing to the complicated orography, of the land. The results of gamma spectrometry. are compared to the K, U, and Th concentrations previously, obtained by, the reactor neutron activation analysis in the same soil samples.