Primordial radionuclides in the dust samples from the educational institutions of central Bangladesh: radiological risk assessment

Md Joynal Abedin; Rahat Khan

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11446

Primordial radionuclides in the dust samples from the educational institutions of central Bangladesh: radiological risk assessment

Heliyon. 2022 Nov 7;8(11):e11446. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11446. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Authors

Md Joynal Abedin^{1

2}, Rahat Khan²

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Higher Studies and Research, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Mirpur Cantonment, Mirpur, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh.
² Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Savar, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh.

Abstract

For the first time, this study presents the radio-activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides in a suite of classroom-dusts collected from 23 schools in central part of Bangladesh. Bulk elemental compositions from instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) were transformed into accompanied radio-activity contents (Bq.kg^-1). Mean activity contents of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, & ⁴⁰K in dust samples were 86.0, 43.4, and 448 Bq.kg^-1, respectively, which were comparatively elevated relative to the relevant world average value. Higher NORMs abundances were due to the surface soil weathering and aerodynamic fractionations. Estimation of typical radiological-risk indices demonstrates human health risks. Bearing in mind that the greater susceptibility of school-going juveniles & children to the ionizing-radiations & the entering of NORMs-comprising dust-particle into human lungs, calculated radiological indices merely represent the least potential risk. However, in actual cases, α-particles from the ²³⁸U and ²³²Th-decay series can create significant radiation-damage to the respiratory-system.

Keywords: Classroom-dust samples; Educational institutions; Environmental distributions; Primordial radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 40K); Radiological health hazards.