Lifetime Effective Dose Assessment Based on Background Outdoor Gamma Exposure in Chihuahua City, Mexico

Sergio Luevano-Gurrola, Angelica Perez-Tapia, Carmelo Pinedo-Alvarez, Jorge Carrillo-Flores, Maria Elena Montero-Cabrera and Marusia Renteria-Villalobos
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Sergio Luevano-Gurrola: Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Perif. Francisco R. Almada km 1, 31415 Chihuahua, Mexico
Angelica Perez-Tapia: Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Perif. Francisco R. Almada km 1, 31415 Chihuahua, Mexico
Carmelo Pinedo-Alvarez: Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Perif. Francisco R. Almada km 1, 31415 Chihuahua, Mexico
Jorge Carrillo-Flores: Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Miguel de Cervantes 120, 31136 Chihuahua, Mexico
Maria Elena Montero-Cabrera: Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Miguel de Cervantes 120, 31136 Chihuahua, Mexico
Marusia Renteria-Villalobos: Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Perif. Francisco R. Almada km 1, 31415 Chihuahua, Mexico

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-16

Abstract: Determining ionizing radiation in a geographic area serves to assess its effects on a population’s health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the background environmental outdoor gamma dose rates in Chihuahua City. This study also estimated the annual effective dose and the lifetime cancer risks of the population of this city. To determine the outdoor gamma dose rate in air, the annual effective dose and the lifetime cancer risk, 48 sampling points were randomly selected in Chihuahua City. Outdoor gamma dose rate measurements were carried out by using a Geiger-Müller counter. Outdoor gamma dose rates ranged from 113 to 310 nGy·h ?1 . At the same sites, 48 soil samples were taken to obtain the activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K and to calculate their terrestrial gamma dose rates. Radioisotope activity concentrations were determined by gamma spectrometry. Calculated gamma dose rates ranged from 56 to 193 nGy·h ?1 . Results indicated that the lifetime effective dose of the inhabitants of Chihuahua City is on average 19.8 mSv, resulting in a lifetime cancer risk of 0.001. In addition, the mean of the activity concentrations in soil were 52, 73 and 1097 Bq·kg ?1 , for 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. From the analysis, the spatial distribution of 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K is to the north, to the north-center and to the south of city, respectively. In conclusion, the natural background gamma dose received by the inhabitants of Chihuahua City is high and mainly due to the geological characteristics of the zone. From the radiological point of view, this kind of study allows us to identify the importance of manmade environments, which are often highly variable and difficult to characterize.

Keywords: radioactivity mapping; radiation dose; health risk; kriging; Chihuahua (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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