On the radiological assessment of natural and fallout radioactivity in a natural high background radiation area at Odisha, India

Natural and fallout radioactivity were estimated in surface soil samples collected around a natural high background radiation area (NHBRA) at Odisha, India using high resolution gamma ray spectrometry. Radiological characterization of the surface soil samples was done by the estimation of radiation hazard indices e.g. external absorbed gamma dose rate (D), radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and activity concentration index (I). The estimated total absorbed gamma dose rate ranged between 46.2 and 964.2 nGy/h with an average of 341.4 nGy/h, higher than the global average of 58 nGy/h but compared with the other reported NHBRA in India and worldwide.