Correlation of gamma emitting radionuclides and radiological health hazards indices around Lancaster dam

Background: all human beings and living organisms are exposed to natural radiations on daily basis, which is mainly due to the activity concentration of primordial radionuclides ^232th, ^238u and their products of decay together with the natural radionuclide ^40k present in the earth’s crust. materials and methods: a total of 59 soil samples were collected around the banks and surroundings of the lancaster dam using an auger at a depth of about 0.75 meters from the top surface. the samples were analysed using low background co-axial n-type high purity germanium (hpge) detector of high-resolution and the resulting spectrum were analysed using canberra genie software. results: this study revealed that the activity concentration values are in the order of ^232th <^40k<^238u in all sampling sites. a statistical analysis based on pearson correlation showed a positive correlation between the radiological parameters and the two primordial radionuclides ^232th, ^238u and the natural radionuclide ^40k. conclusion: this implied that the two primordial radionuclides ^232th,^238u and their products of decay including the natural radionuclide 40k contribute to the emission of gamma radiation in all the locations of the study area. the calculated ^238u/^232th concentration ratio in soils of present study was almost six times higher compared with different countries of the world.