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Mapping soil radioactivity in the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Brazil

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Abstract

A radioactivity survey was conducted on some of the most alkaline volcanic islands in the world. Seventy soil samples were analysed using gamma spectrometry. 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs (Bq kg−1) activity concentration varied from 4.6 to 550, 10 to 298, 13 to 1280 and <0.3 to 2.0, respectively. Although the concentration ranges for 232Th (228Ra) and 226Ra exceeded the worldwide range, 40K levels remained low. The lowest values of natural radionuclides were observed over the Quixaba Formation, and the highest values were observed over the Remédios Formation. The median effective dose from external radiation exposure was 0.45 mSv a−1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria (IRD), Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN), Av. Salvador Allende, s/nº, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22780-160, Brazil

    Fernando C. A. Ribeiro, Dejanira da C. Lauria, Mônica A. P. do Rio & Wanderson de Oliveira Sousa

  2. Serviço Geológico do Brasil (CPRM), Av. Pasteur, 404, Rio de Janeiro, 22292–040, Brazil

    Fernanda G. da Cunha

  3. Serviço Geológico do Brasil (CPRM), Av. Sul, 2291, Recife, PE, 50770-011, Brazil

    Enjôlras de Albuquerque Medeiros Lima & Melissa Franzen

Authors
  1. Fernando C. A. Ribeiro
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  2. Dejanira da C. Lauria
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  3. Mônica A. P. do Rio
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  4. Fernanda G. da Cunha
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  7. Melissa Franzen
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Correspondence to Fernando C. A. Ribeiro.

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Ribeiro, F.C.A., da C. Lauria, D., do Rio, M.A.P. et al. Mapping soil radioactivity in the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Brazil. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 311, 577–587 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-5059-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-5059-z

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