Role of light and heavy minerals on natural radioactivity level of high background radiation area, Kerala, India

Spatial and depth wise characterization of radionuclides and minerals in various beach sediments from high background radiation area, Kerala, India

“…In the first foot samples, activity concentrations are higher in S 24 whereas in the second and third foot samples, higher values are observed in S 26 with small deviations. Rich distributions of radioactive heavy and light minerals could be playing a vital role for fixing high radioactivity values in the above mentioned sites (Ramasamy et al, 2014).…”

“…Also, from the table, it is observed that ten minerals such as quartz, microcline feldspar, orthoclase feldspar, kaolinite, calcite, gibbsite, montmorillonite, palygorskite, sepiolite and organic carbon are identified in the other layer (first, second and third feet) samples by comparing the observed wave numbers with the above literature. Mineral characterizations of upper surface samples were clearly presented in Ramasamy et al (2014).…”

“…Details of sample preparation, the instrument used and the procedure for mineralogical study (FTIR spectrometer) were clearly presented in Ramasamy et al (2014). Using the Perkin Elmer RX1 FTIR spectrometer, the infrared spectra for all sediment samples were recorded in the region 4000-400 cm À 1 .…”

“…However, in Tamilnadu, Ramasamy et al (2009a; had studied distributions of these radioisotopes in coastal and river regions. Also, spatial distributions of radionuclides in superficial Kerala beaches were assessed by Ramasamy et al (2013) and the mineralogical effect on the level of radioactivity in the same beaches was studied by Ramasamy et al (2014). In order to get a complete distribution pattern and the radiological profile of Kerala beach sediment, data need to be obtained at subsurface depths (first, second and third feet) in the same beaches.…”

Elemental Analysis of Raw Materials of Nuclear Reactor Shielding to Develop Low Activation Concrete

“…Sometimes heavy minerals separated from beach sand are also used in concrete to increase density of the heavy concrete up to a required level [13,14]. Addition of heavy minerals into shielding concrete incorporates trace elements with long-lived radionuclides [15][16][17][18]. Therefore, heavy minerals with low elemental contents of interest are also important to develop low activation concrete.…”