Journal of Environmental Protection, 2012, 3, 1078-1084 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jep.2012.39126 Published Online September 2012 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/jep) Study of Environmental Radiation on Sand and Soil Samples from Kuakata Sea Beach of Patuakhali Khondaker Mohammed Nazrul Islam 1 , Debasish Paul 2 , Md. Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan 3* , Amina Akter 1 , Budrun Neher 3 , Sheikh Mohammad Azharul Islam 1 1 Department of Physics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Bangladesh; 2 Health Physics & Radioactive Waste Management Unit (HP & RWMU), Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (INST), Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Savar, Bangladesh; 3 Department of Physics, Comilla University, Comilla, Bangladesh. Email: * rahmanmahbubur@ymail.com Received June 15 th , 2012; revised July 10 th , 2012; accepted August 7 th , 2012 ABSTRACT The activity concentrations of radionuclides in the sand and soil samples collected from Kuakata seabeach of Patuakhali district in Bangladesh have measured using a high resolution high purity germanium (HPGe) detector of relative effi- ciency 40%. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were found in the sand samples of Kuakata seabeach varied from 2.82 ± 4.89 to 87.96 ± 4.45 Bq·Kg –1 , 21.72 ± 16.27 to 290.93 ± 18.15 Bq·Kg –1 and 26.24 ± 0.35 to 852.05 ± 142.15 Bq·Kg –1 respectively. For soil samples the activity concentrations of corresponding radionuclides were found to be 20.98 ± 3.96 to 42.92 ± 4.76 Bq·Kg –1 , 59.25 ± 15.62 to 144.34 ± 18.52 Bq·Kg –1 and 570.43 ± 100.3 to 1165 ± 166.27 Bq·Kg –1 respectively. The average absorbed dose rate due to radionuclides in sand was estimated to range from 51.84 to 246.55 nGy·h –1 with an average of 98.33 nGy·h –1 . Also the average absorbed dose rate due to radionuclides in soil was estimated to range from 76.63 nGy·h –1 to 142.36 nGy·h –1 with an average of 110.04 nGy·h –1 . Radium equiva- lent activities were calculated for the analyzed samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the presence of this radionuclide in the samples. Most of the calculated radium equivalent activities are lower than the limit set in the OECD report (370 Bq·kg –1 ). The measured representative level index values for the investigated samples varied in the range 0.8 to 3.75. Keywords: Radionuclide; Activity Concentration; HPGe detector; Kuakata Seabeach; 226 Ra; 232 Th; 40 K and 137 Cs 1. Introduction Radiation is present in every environment of the Earth’s surface, beneath the Earth and in the atmosphere. Ac- cording to UNSCEAR (1993), about 87% of the radiation dose received by mankind is due to natural radiation sources and the remaining is due to anthropogenic radia- tion [1]. It is observed that most of natural radioactive elements present in soil are primordial radionuclides from the uranium series, thorium series, and 40 K [2]. The man and the animal kingdom however make adjustment to the natural radiation sources. But the advent of artifi- cial or man-made radiation sources, when man succeeded in fissioning of the uranium atomic nucleus, their wide- spread application and accidental uncontrolled release of radioactivity in the environment have altered the balance. Nuclear weapons test release radioactive fissions prod- ucts into the atmosphere and its depositions over the earth’s surface are termed “fallout”. The distribution of this fallout in the environment takes place in various ways depending on the strength of the nuclear device, mode of burst and climate conditions. Significant amounts of man-made radionuclides, 137 Cs and 90 Sr, are also pre- sent in the environment as a result of nuclear weapon tests and nuclear accidents [1]. Radionuclides can be deposited to the sand and soil in various ways. The uranium, thorium series and potas- sium-40 are the most common radionuclides present in most material. All radionuclides release ionizing radia- tion. Ionizing radiation may cause cancer. Any amount of radiation dose may cause stochastic effect (e.g. cancer etc.). Uncontrolled radiation from any source is harmful to the occupational workers, public and environment. Assessment of any release of radioactivity to the envi- ronment is important for the protection of public health; especially if the released radioactivity is a matter of di- rect population exposure and can enter into the food chain [3]. Beach sand or soil is mineral deposits formed through the weathering and erosion of rocks. These deposits found at different levels within the sand contain natural * Corresponding author. Copyright © 2012 SciRes. JEP