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Evaluation of naturally occurring radionuclides (K, Th and U) in volcanic soils from Fogo Island, Cape Verde

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Abstract

Natural radionuclides K, Th and U were evaluated for the first time on volcanic soils of Fogo Island (Cape Verde) aiming to contribute for the background concentration of radiogenic elements in these soils, assessing radiation risk, and allowing accurate chronological luminescence studies. Potassium and particularly U appear to be more mobilized in the older soils, with a high radon loss when compared to recent ones. External dose rate varies between 0.97 and 3.47 Gy/y. The results obtained in this work are a benchmark for further studies, particularly for the evaluation of modifications due to the 2014–2015 volcanic episode on Fogo Island.

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Acknowledgements

Grateful acknowledgments are made to the Laboratory of Nuclear Engineering (LEN) and to the staff of the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI) of CTN/IST for their assistance with the neutron irradiations. Rosa Marques acknowledge Dr. Christopher Burbidge for his guidance during her Ph.D. work. Research funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) through the projects UIDB/04035/2020, UIDB/04349/2020, and post-doctoral grant SFRH/BPD/114986/2016.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, EN 10 (km 139.7), 2695-066, Bobadela, Portugal

    Rosa Marques, Maria I. Prudêncio, Dulce Russo, Guilherme Cardoso, Maria I. Dias, Ana L. Rodrigues, Mário Reis & Marta Santos

  2. Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares (DECN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, EN 10 (km 139.7), 2695-066, Bobadela, Portugal

    Rosa Marques, Maria I. Prudêncio, Dulce Russo, Maria I. Dias, Mário Reis & Marta Santos

  3. Laboratório de Protecção e Segurança Radiológica (LPSR), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, EN 10 (km 139.7), 2695-066, Bobadela, Portugal

    Mário Reis & Marta Santos

  4. GeoBiociências, GeoTecnologias e GeoEngenharias (GeoBioTec), Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Fernando Rocha

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  1. Rosa Marques
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Marques, R., Prudêncio, M.I., Russo, D. et al. Evaluation of naturally occurring radionuclides (K, Th and U) in volcanic soils from Fogo Island, Cape Verde. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 330, 347–355 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07959-7

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