Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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The status of NORMs in natural environment adjacent to the Rooppur nuclear power plant of Bangladesh

  • Haydar, Md Abu (Health Physics and Radioactive Waste Management Unit (HPRWMU), Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (INST), Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)) ;
  • Hasan, Md Mehade (Department of Physics, Jashore University of Science and Technology) ;
  • Jahan, Imrose (Department of Physics, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT)) ;
  • Fatema, Kanij (Health Physics and Radioactive Waste Management Unit (HPRWMU), Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (INST), Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)) ;
  • Ali, Md Idris (Health Physics and Radioactive Waste Management Unit (HPRWMU), Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (INST), Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)) ;
  • Paul, Debasish (Health Physics and Radioactive Waste Management Unit (HPRWMU), Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (INST), Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)) ;
  • Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin (Centre for Applied Physics and Radiation Technologies, School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University)
  • Received : 2021.02.01
  • Accepted : 2021.06.12
  • Published : 2021.12.25
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Abstract

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh with a capacity of 2.4 GWe, is under construction on the bank of the river Padma, at Rooppur in Bangladesh. Measurement of background radioactivity in the natural environment adjacent to RNPP finds great importance for future perspectives. Soil and sediment samples collected from upstream and downstream positions of the Padma River (adjacent to RNPP) were collected and analyzed by HPGe gamma-ray spectrometry for primordial radionuclides. The average activity concentrations (in Bqkg-1) of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K radionuclides in soil samples were found to be 44.99 ± 3.89, 66.28 ± 6.55 and 553 ± 82.17 respectively. Respective values in sediment samples were found to be 44.59 ± 4.58, 67.64 ± 7.93, 782 ± 108. Relevant radiation hazard indices and dosimetric parameters were calculated and compared with the world average data recommended by US-EPA. Analytical results show non-negligible radiation hazards to the surrounding populace. Measured data will be useful to monitor any change of background radioactivity in the surrounding environment of RNPP following its operation for the generation of nuclear energy.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to the Director, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (INST) and Head, Health Physics and Radioactive Waste Management Unit (HPRWMU), Atomic Energy Research. Establishment, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Savar Dhaka, Bangladesh. The first author is especially grateful to Shamima Nasrin and Arun Kumar Deb for their kind cooperation during this study.

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