Distribution of radionuclides in Arıklı region (Çanakkale/Ayvacık) and possible causes

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to determine the indoor and outdoor gamma dose rates in Arıklı (Çanakkale/Ayvacık/Turkey) uranium mineralization region, to determine the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K in selected samples (building materials, rocks, surface soils, beach sands and soil samples collected from excavation ditches), to map the outdoor gamma dose rates and the activity concentrations of the radionuclides specified in the surface soils using geographic information systems, to identify the geological sources that cause high doses and to evaluate the possible health risks for the region based on all these measurement results. The measurement of mass concentrations for U, Th on some selected samples is also included into the study. This study is the first comprehensive study for the region. For this thesis, the Arıklı region was considered as a research area due to the presence of a uranium mineralization zone and the prevalence of felsic volcanic rocks containing above-average uranium, thorium and potassium concentrations. In order to determine the level of radioactivity in the Arıklı uranium mineralization region, preliminary field studies were started in 2015 measuring the outdoor gamma dose taking into account the geological formations. It has been determined that anomalies are especially concentrated in and around the drilling points determined by the General Directorate of Mineral Researches (MTA) to search for uranium.