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Abstract

The natural radioactivity content of 238U, 232Th and 40K in the intertidal beach sands samples at ten sites each of Marina and Besant Nagar beaches of Chennai city has been analyzed using a 3"x3" NaI(Tl) scintillation detector based gamma ray spectroscopy. The radioactivity content in intertidal sands of Marina were found to be 4±3 Bq.kg -1 , 4±3 Bq.kg -1 and 248±28 Bq.kg -1 respectively; the same were 4±3 Bq.kg -1 , 5±3 Bq.kg -1 and 242±29 Bq.kg -1 respectively in the beach sands of Besant Nagar. These activity levels at both beaches are, in general, much lower than other Indian and World average value. The radiological parameters for both the intertidal sand samples (Marina and Besant Nagar) are far lower than the UNSCEAR 2000 recommended values.