Measurement of radioactivity in soil is very important to determine any changes in activity with time as a result of radioactive release.
Researchers in this study present the gamma absorbed dose rates (terrestrial and cosmic) due to the naturally occurring and anthropogenic radionuclides around the Kakrapar Atomic Power station Gujarat site in India.
The activity level (Bq/kg) in the soil ranged 5.7-48.4 for 226Ra, 9.7-28.0 for 232Th, 83.9-585.7 for 40K, and 0.2-4.6 for 137Cs, respectively. The mean concentration levels measured in Kakrapar soil from the naturally occurring radioisotopes are lower than the corresponding global average values.
137Cs activity in the soil is comparable with the preoperational period. The total effective dose rates in air outdoors ranged 17.2-78.1 µSv/y with the mean value of 32.8 µSv/y. The mean value of absorbed dose rate due to cosmic components was 37.5 nGy/h which is comparable to the worldwide reported values.
Natural and fallout radioactivity mapping of Kakrapar Gujarat site, India. Radiation Protection and Environment, 23 October 2021.
READ ALSO:
Kakrapar 3 Achieves First Criticality
Unit 3 of the Kakrapar nuclear power plant in the Surat district of the Indian state of Gujarat has attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time. It is the country’s first indigenously-designed 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) to reach the commissioning milestone. Loading of fuel into the reactor’s core was completed in mid-March. World Nuclear News
India debuts largest domestically-built nuclear reactor with more planned
The 700-megawatt pressurized heavy water reactor of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station in Gujarat is the first of 16 planned units that will help balance the grid against growing intermittent renewable generation,” KN Vyas, India’s atomic energy secretary said. Energy World
Explained: What is the significance of Kakrapar-3?
KAPP-3, which attained criticality in July 2020, is India’s first 700 MWe unit, and the biggest indigenously developed variant of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor. The PHWRs, which use natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator, are the mainstay of India’s nuclear reactor fleet. Until now, the biggest reactor size of indigenous design was the 540 MWe PHWR, two of which have been deployed in Tarapur, Maharashtra. Indian Express