Environmental Radiation Study

Integrated MSc Semester 6

Minor Project Final Presentation
04.07.2023

Francis Martin
Semester 6
Integrated M.Sc. Physics
Centre for Integrated Studies
Cochin University of Science and Technology

Under the supervision of

Dr. Rhine Kumar A. K.
Assistant Professor
Department of Physics
Cochin University of Science and Technology

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 Contents

1. Introduction
2. Natural Radioactivity
3. Radioactive Decay
4. Gamma Ray Spectrometer
5. Sample Collection
6. Calibration
7. Analysis of Samples
8. Conclusion
9. Acknowledgment
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 Introduction

• Radiation exists in our environment from naturally occurring and man-

made radiation sources.

• A knowledge of the population exposure to natural radiation from

different locations is not only important for its own sake but also
because it helps in epidemiological studies correlating radiation
exposure.

• The analysis of possible radionuclide samples from such locations is the

main focus of this project. The determination of radioactive isotopes
from such locations can help towards further nuclear energy studies
and study of the biological effects they cause in the region.
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 Natural Radioactivity

Natural radiation comprises of:

• cosmic radiation originating from outer space - cosmogenic

radionuclides are produced continuously by bombardment of stable
nuclides by cosmic rays, primarily in the atmosphere

• primordial radioactivity in the rocks and soils

• internal radioactivity distributed within the body in its tissues - the

major contribution arises from 40K

• lung irradiation due to radon and thoron inhaled through air

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 Radioactive Decay

There are different types of radioactive decay:

Alpha Decay

It is a type of radioactive disintegration in which some unstable atomic nuclei dissipate

excess energy by spontaneously ejecting an alpha particle

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Beta Decay
During beta decay, the proton in the nucleus is transformed into a neutron and vice
versa. If a proton is converted to a neutron, it is known as β+ decay. An example:

Similarly, if a neutron is converted to a proton, it is known as β– decay.

Electron capture

In this process, an electron orbiting around the nucleus combines with a proton to
form a neutron and a neutrino is emitted.

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Gamma Decay

• Unlike the other types of decay mentioned above, Gamma decay does not involve
a change in the element.

• It is just a simple decay from an excited state to ground state.

• The nuclear reaction describing a gamma decay can be written as:

where ∗ indicates an excited state

Internal conversion

In this process, the transfer of the excess energy in the nucleus to one of its own
orbiting electrons results in ejection of the electron from the atom
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Gamma Ray Spectrometer

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• Block diagram of the instrument consists of a Scintillation Detector, High Voltage
unit (HV), Linear Amplifier (LA), Single Channel Analyzer (SCA) and Counter Timer
(CT).

• All these modules are housed inside a Minibin; and Power Supply which provides
low voltage supplies +/− 12V and +/− 24V to these modules.

• The assembly of Scintillation Detector and Main Electronic Unit is called as Gamma
Ray Spectrometer, which is essentially used for studying the Gamma Ray Spectra of
Gamma isotopes.

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Scintillation Detector
It consists of a scintillating material optically coupled to a photo multiplier(PMT). Thallium doped
sodium iodide NaI (Tl) is the most widely used scintillation material. Its light output is greater than
that of other scintillators, and it has a convenient emission range.

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 Sample Collection
• The sand samples were collected from different beaches along the coast
of Ernakulam district, extending from latitude 10°4’ 49” N and longitude
76°11’ 43” E to latitude 9°59’ 53” N and longitude 76°13’ 5” E (Figure
10).

• A lone sample of black sand was collected from Mahatma Gandhi

beach (latitude 8°52’ 28” N and longitude 76°35’ 29” E) in Kollam
district.

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• 7 samples were collected (40-60cm depth) were collected in total under
fairly sunny weather conditions (May 2023).

• The samples were tightly packed in small PVC containers. The PVC
containers were labelled and kept undisturbed for a period of 40 days.

• The samples were then subjected to gamma ray analysis.

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 Calibration
• We used a Cs-137 standard gamma source as the reference and the
resolution is specified with respect to its monoenergetic gammas of
energy 662 keV.

• The source was placed on the detector. At 650V High Voltage (HV),
under the following conditions on linear amplifier:

Coarse Gain: 0.2

Fine Gain : 0.0
Attenuation: 1x

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• We get a photopeak pertaining to 662 keV energy of Cs-137
(approximately 3V), which is observed on an oscilloscope

• Then by adjusting the SCA (in WINDOW mode) LLD values, a set of
readings is obtained, which on plotting (Graph of Count Rate Vs LLD)
gave a spectrum comparable to Cs-137 Spectrum. 14
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 Analysis of Samples
• After the gamma ray spectrometer was calibrated using 137Cs, each
sample was placed on the detector and counts were taken under the
calibrated conditions.

• The maximum counts in each sample are given in below table.

Sample Location Maximum Count
1 Munambam beach 75
2 Cherai beach 87
3 Ambedkar beach 84
4 Kuzhupilly beach 95
5 Aniyal beach 107
6 Puthuvype beach 82
7 Kollam Beach 276
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 Conclusion
• We systematically collected samples from various beaches along the
coast of Ernakulam and Kollam district.

• To analyse these sand samples, we made use of a gamma ray

spectrometer which was first calibrated using 137Cs and then the
samples on analysis showed the presence of higher count for the black
sand sample collected from Kollam beach compared to all the other
samples.

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• High background radiation from thorium-containing monazite black
sand is already determined in Karunagappally beach in Kollam district.

• Investigations on the source of the thorium deposits in the Kerala beach

monazite area are in progress. There is a presumption that the sources
of the thorium is in the highlands and has been deposited by the rivers
or underwater streams, but no convincing proof for this is available.

• The count obtained from Kollam Beach which is further downstream

might be a consequence of this presumption.

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 Acknowledgment

• Dr. Rhine Kumar A. K., DOP, CUSAT

• Dr. V. V. Prasad, Project Coordinator, DOP, CUSAT
• Prof. Titus K Mathew, The HOD, DOP, CUSAT
• Faculty Members, DOP, CUSAT
• Lab Members of Nuclear Physics Division (DOP)
• Classmates and Seniors, IMSc. Physics

Thank You All!

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