Comprehensive natural radioactivity and pollution risk assessments of aquatic media and sediment in Lake Van (Türkiye).

Abstract

This paper studies the radionuclide (Cs, Ra, Th, K) activity concentrations and gross radioactivities in waters and sediments of Lake Van, which is the third largest closed lake (with no natural or artificial outlet) within the Earth. The physico-chemical parameters were measured and evaluated in the lake waters. The mean gross α activities in surface, middle and bottom waters are 0.04, 0.03 and 0.03 Bq/L, respectively, and in the same order, the mean gross β activities are 0.30, 0.23 and 0.33 Bq/L, respectively. In sediment samples, the mean activity concentrations were measured as 1.98 Bq/g for gross-α, 3.46 Bq/g for gross-β, 48.3 Bq/kg for Ra, 32.0 Bq/kg for Th, 540.1 Bq/kg for K and 25.9 Bq/kg for Cs. The radiation hazard parameters values based on the measured activities were calculated and Ra values are lower than the world average value in all samples, while D and AED values are relatively high in some sediment samples.