Ecological studies of the naturally occurring radionuclides, 137Cs and heavy metals in soil, plants and milk in surrounding of Kragujevac city, Serbia

Abstract

Vertical distribution of natural radionuclides, 137Cs and heavy metals were measured in soil and plants collected from Kragujevac surroundings. The activities of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs, were measured by gamma spectrometry in plants, soil and milk. The mean absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose, external hazard index and excess lifetime cancer risk were (81 ± 13) nGy h−1, (99 ± 16) μSv, (0.5 ± 0.1) and (3.8 ± 0.6) 10–4, respectively. The Spearman linear correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between heavy metal concentration and radionuclide. Unmix 6.0, was used to systematize abovementioned parameters in order to establish a data pattern.