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Paper Details


Title
Assessment of naturally occurring radioactive materials in dust samples collected from Savar, Bangladesh: radiological risk evaluation and implications for environmental safety

Author
, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker,

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Abstract

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) can accumulate in surface dust near industrial zones and, upon inhalation, may pose potential health hazards. This study reports the activity concentrations of NORMs in dust collected from Savar Upazila, one of the most industrialized areas in Bangladesh. A total of 20 dust samples were collected from the vicinity of different industries and analyzed using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The measured concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K ranged from 17 ± 1 to 32 ± 2, 22 ± 2 to 51 ± 5, and 350 ± 25 to 520 ± 42 Bq/kg, respectively, with mean values below or close to the corresponding world averages of 30, 35, and 400 Bq/kg, respectively.226Ra levels stayed below the global average, but a few samples showed higher 232Th and 40K, which is probably due to local geology and some industrial influence. All the radiological hazard parameters were found within the international safety limits. These findings indicate that street dust in Savar does not show significant enrichment of NORMs and poses negligible radiological health risks to pedestrians and nearby residents. Nevertheless, continuous monitoring is recommended to ensure environmental and occupational safety in this rapidly industrializing region.


Keywords

Journal or Conference Name
Radiochimica Acta

Publication Year
2026

Indexing
scopus