Radioactivity in soil samples from the settlements of Tbilisi city (the capital of Georgia)

Authors

  • L. Mtsariashvili Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 13, Chavchavadze Alley, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia
  • N. Kekelidze Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 13, Chavchavadze Alley, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia; Ferdinand Tavadze Metallurgy and Materials Science Institute, 10, Mindeli Str., Tbilisi, 0186, Georgia; Georgian Technical University, 77, Kostava Str., Tbilisi, 0175, Georgia
  • G. Goderdzishvili Georgian Technical University, 77, Kostava Str., Tbilisi, 0175, Georgia
  • T. Jakhutashvili Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 13, Chavchavadze Alley, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia
  • E. Tulashvili Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 13, Chavchavadze Alley, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia
  • I. Ambokadze Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 13, Chavchavadze Alley, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia

Keywords:

Radioactivity, Gamma spectrometry, Radium equivalent, Gamma-dose, Natural radioactivity, Technogenic radioactivity

Abstract

This study investigated the radioactivity of various types of soil (cinnamonic, cinnamonic calcareous, grey cinnamonic and alluvial calcareous) in suburbs of Tbilisi, Georgia. Soil samples were collected from 11 locations and analyzed using gamma spectrometry.
232Th varied in the range 16.9-34.2 Bq/kg (average 23.8 Bq/kg), 238U – in the range 19.3-50.5 Bq/kg (27.4), and 235U - in the range 0.88-2.3 Bq/kg (1.3). 40K ranged from 291 to 560 Bq/kg (442). Technogenic radionuclide 137Cs was identified in almost all samples and its activity concentration ranged from 3.6 to 27.6 Bq/kg (12.7). Some activity ratios were calculated: 238U/235U, 238U/232Th, 226Ra/238U and 210Pb/226Ra. The radium equivalent activity ranged from 66.1 to 136 Bq/kg (88.7). Annual effective gamma-dose rate varied in the range 0.046-0.083 mSv/y (0.056). Some features of radionuclide distribution are noted, and a comparison was carried out with existing data from the literary.

Additional Files

Published

01-02-2021

How to Cite

Mtsariashvili, L., Kekelidze, N., Goderdzishvili, G., Jakhutashvili, T., Tulashvili, E., & Ambokadze, I. (2021). Radioactivity in soil samples from the settlements of Tbilisi city (the capital of Georgia). The Journal of Nature Studies - Annals of Agrarian Science, 18(3). Retrieved from https://journals.org.ge/index.php/aans/article/view/231

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 3 (2020): Annals of Agrarian Science

Section

Articles