Measurement of natural and 137Cs radioactivity concentrations at Izmit Bay (Marmara Sea), Turkey

Abstract

In order to determine the radioactivity level at Izmit Bay Marmara Sea, marine sediment samples were collected from five different locations. The radioactivity concentrations of naturally occurring 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K isotopes and also that of an artificial isotope 137 Cs were measured by using gamma-ray spectroscopy. Preliminary results show that the radioactivity concentrations of 238 U and 232 Th isotopes are lower than the average worldwide values while the radioactivity concentrations of the 40 K are higher than the average worldwide value. A small amount of 137 Cs contamination, which might be caused by the Chernobyl accident, was also detected.

The current status of natural and artificial radiation in İstanbul 36 years after chernobyl, preceding a potential nuclear threat

“…Due to the development of nuclear technology in the past century, the presence of certain nuclear waste in the environment determines the artificial radiation dose levels worldwide. Individuals are exposed to ionizing gamma radiation emitted from natural radionuclides such as 232 Th, 226 Ra, and their decay products, as well as 40 K. These radionuclides and their progenies are major contributors to ionizing radiation in soil and rocks [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18].…”