Estimation of radionuclide concentrations and exhalation rates from soils of Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts of Punjab

This report focuses on assessing the human health risks associated with radioactivity in the environment. It presents data on the concentration of radionuclides (Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40), as well as radon and thoron exhalation rates from agricultural soils in Punjab's Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib Districts. The study found that the radionuclides present in the soil contribute significantly to inhalation doses. The concentration of these radionuclides in the soil affects indoor radon and thoron levels, as they are a source of indoor gas. Soil samples were collected from ten agricultural fields and analyzed using gamma spectroscopy technique. The results provide information on specific activity, radon exhalation rates, thoron surface exhalation rates, radium equivalent activity, external, and internal index, annual effective dose, and excess life time cancer risk.