Assessment of radioactivity and radiological risk indices in the sediments of the Tam Giang-Cau Hai, Thi Nai, and Nai lagoons in the Center of Vietnam

Abstract Using gamma and alpha spectrometers, the radioactive isotopes 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, and 40K were determined in three sediment cores from the Tam Giang-Cau Hai (TG), Thi Nai (TN), and Nai (DN) lagoons, and radiation risk indices were computed. The radioactivity concentrations of 210Pb, 40K, 232Th, and 226Ra were 55.46 Bq/kg, 675.78 Bq/kg, 67.22 Bq/kg, and 34.15 Bq/kg, respectively. The Raeq, ADR, AEDE, Iγr, AUI, Hex, and AGDE indices were 182.31 Bq/kg, 84.46 nGy/h, 0.10 mSV/y, 1.35, 1, 18, 0.49, and 598.71 µSV/y, respectively; the values of 40K, 232Th, AEDE, ADR, Iγr, and AGDE were greater than the global average and UNSCEAR values. The radioactivity and radiation risk indices decreased in the order DN > TN > TG.