Natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in rocks and beach sands from Ezine region (Çanakkale), Western Anatolia, Turkey

This paper represents the first reports on the natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in Kestanbol granitic pluton and surrounding rocks, and coastal region of the Ezine town. To assess the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, the radium equivalent activity, the absorbed dose rate and the external hazard index were calculated, and in situ gamma dose rates were measured. The high-activity concentrations were measured in the pluton and sands, which was originated mainly from the pluton, due to the presence of zircon, allanite, monazite, thorite, uranothorite and apatite. The average activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K are 174.78, 204.69 and 1171.95 Bq kg−1 for pluton, and 290.36, 532.04 and 1160.75 Bq kg−1 for sands, respectively. 137Cs in Ezine region ranged from 0–6.57 Bq kg−1. The average absorbed dose rate for the granitic and sand samples were calculated to be 251.6 and 527.92 nGy h−1, respectively. The maximum contribution to the total absorbed gamma dose rate in air was due to the 232Th (52.3% for pluton and 67.1% for sands). The Raeq activities of the pluton and sands are higher than the recommended maximum value of 370 Bq kg−1 criterion limit of Raeq activity for building materials.