Impact of mineral composition on the distribution of natural radionuclides in rigosol-anthrosol

Abstract

Primordial radionuclides present in the rocks and minerals of the earth's crust are naturally occurring source of radiation that has important impact on human health. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate origin, mobility and transfer of natural radionuclides in ecosystem. Our paper represents the results of influence of mineral composition, sand-, silt-, and clay-size mechanical fraction and heavy mineral fraction on distribution and mobility of natural radionuclides 238U, 232Th, 226Ra and 40K in profiles of soil type rigosol, from the area of school estate good "Radmilovac" of Faculty of Agriculture, Zemun, University of Belgrade. Methods used were X-ray powder diffraction, heavy liquid mineral separation, HCBr3, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and gamma-ray spectrometry. Analysis of the results showed correlation of natural radionuclides with heavy mineral fraction (Fe oxides and hydroxides, epidote, ilmeniterutile, staurolite and zircon, garnet, amphibole) and secondary minerals (Ca montmorillonite, mix layer silicates (MSS), illite, kaolinite and vermiculite).