Browsing by Author "Metin O."

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Determination of elemental concentrations of radionuclides in Turkish bentonite and calculation of radiogenic heat generation
(2022-01-01) Turhan; Metin O.; Hançerlioğulları A.; Kurnaz A.; Duran C.
Bentonite containing smectite group clay minerals is an industrial raw material with a wide range of uses. In this study, the concentration of uranium, thorium, and radioactive potassium in ninety bentonite samples collected from quarries in Turkey was determined using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The concentrations of uranium, thorium and potassium varied from 0.4 to 18.2 with an average of 4.3 mg/kg, 5.4 to 53.4 with an average of 22.7 mg/kg and 0.3 to 3.4 with an average of 1.4 mg/kg, respectively. The radiogenic heat generation caused by the ionising radiation emitted from these radioactive elements in bentonite samples was calculated in the range of 0.9 to 6.6 µW/m3 with an average of 2.8 µW/m3.
Evaluation of terrestrial radionuclide levels and concomitant radiological risks of bentonites used in many industries
(2022-01-01) Kurnaz A.; Turhan Ş.; Metin O.; Altıkulaç A.; Duran C.
Bentonite is a soft, porous, easily shaped, and absorbent material rich in aluminum, sodium, and potassium. Bentonite is a mineral widely utilized as drilling mud, ore pelletizing, absorbent/adsorbent, bleaching agent, water impedance, coating, and raw material in various industries. In this study, radiometric measurements of 90 bentonite samples collected from 21 quarries in Turkey were performed using gamma-ray spectrometry. The radiological hazards caused by indoor exposure to adults due to the utilization of bentonites as raw materials in the construction industry and outdoor external exposures to quarry workers were evaluated by estimating the activity concentration index, annual effective doses, and lifetime cancer risk. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K measured in bentonite samples were found as (50 ± 5) Bq/kg, (76 ± 4) Bq/kg and (373 ± 19) Bq/kg, respectively. The evaluation results reveal that the bentonites examined could be safely utilized as raw materials.
Impact of toxic metal pollution on surface water pollution: a case study of Tohma stream in Sivas, Turkey
(2021-01-01) Turhan; Duran C.; Kurnaz A.; Hançerlioğulları A.; Metin O.; Altıkulaç A.
This study was executed to investigate the acidification and heavy metal (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) pollution of Tohma stream flowing near Kangal lignite-fired thermal power plant located in Kangal district of Sivas province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. All water samples were screened for pH to evaluate the acidification of the Tohma stream. Water samples were found in moderately alkaline according to pH values (8.1–8.7). The average concentrations of Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb in water samples from the Tohma stream were determined as 0.94, 2.27, 13.78, 1.24, 1.98, 0.32 and 0.54 mg L−1 using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. Metal pollution index (MPI) and metal evaluation index (MEI) were estimated to evaluate the pollution of Tohma water samples with heavy metals. The values of MPI and MEI varied from 312 (medium pollution) to 9715 (high pollution) with an average of 4713 (high pollution) and 181(medium pollution) to 317 (high pollution) with an average of 226 (medium pollution), respectively. The results of MPI and MEI revealed that investigated water samples are seriously polluted with toxic heavy metals and inadequate for drinking and irrigation water utilisation.
Natural radioactivity, radon emanating power and mass exhalation rate of environmental soil samples from Karabük province, Turkey
(2020-07-01) Kurnaz A.; Turhan A.; Hançerlioǧullarl A.; Gören E.; Karataşll M.; Altlkulaç A.; Erer A.M.; Metin O.
In this study, content of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) and radon emanating power and radon mass exhalation rate of surface soil samples collected around industrial province Karabük in which the first iron steel plant was built in 1937 were determined by high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry with a high purity germanium detector. The average activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples were measured as 30 ± 2, 28 ± 2 and 251 ± 20 Bq kg-1, respectively. The average value of radon emanating power and mass exhalation rate of soil samples were found as 31 % and 19 μBq kg-l s-l, respectively. Assessment of possible radiation hazards to the people due to external exposure was done by estimating the outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate in the air at 1 m above the soil, the corresponding annual effective dose, and the excess lifetime cancer risk. The average outdoor gamma dose rate, annual effective dose, and lifetime cancer risk were estimated as 41 nGy h-1, 51 μSv y-1 and 2.0 × 10-4, respectively. A comparison of the activity and radiological results obtained for the studied samples with the corresponding worldwide average values indicates that the results are below the world average values.