Smart Energy and Sustainable Environment , ISSN 2668-957X
2026, Volume 29, Issue 1
Pages 45-54

https://doi.org/10.46390/j.smensuen.29126.466

DETERMINATION OF RADIOACTIVITY LEVELS IN SOIL AND SEDIMENT SAMPLES COLLECTED NEAR THE RM. VALCEA INDUSTRIAL PLATFORM, ROMANIA

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a monitoring study on the radioactivity levels in soil and sediment samples near the Rm. Valcea Industrial Platform, Valcea County, Romania. The main goal is to determine the values of the background radioactivity concentrations for this area and their impact on the surrounding environment.

The present study was conducted between 2020 and 2025, for 12 soil and 24 sediment samples collected from an indicator location and a background location, near the Olt River (downstream and upstream), during the pre-operational stage of the Tritium and Deuterium Separation Pilot Plant (PESTD) at the National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies Rm. Valcea, Romania.

The radioactivity concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and the anthropogenic radionuclide ¹³⁷Cs, were investigated by using gamma spectrometry techniques. The radiological hazard parameters, radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq) and the absorbed dose rate in air (D), were also calculated.

No previous studies have investigated the radioactivity concentrations of soil and sediment samples for this region. The results of this study provide a unique database, relevant for future assessments.

The values obtained from the indicator location were found to be comparable with those from the background location, suggesting that the PESTD’s nuclear activity has no significant impact on the environment.

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