Estimation of Cancer Risk from External Gamma Dose Rates for Human Habitats around KGF Gold Mines

Author(s): Shiva Prasad NG

Abstract:

The external gamma dose rates in air were measured at a height of 1 m from gound level at residential locations surrounding gold mine area of KGF town using a scintillometer [Type SM 141D, Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL)]. The absorbed dose rate observed varies from 110.34 – 189.65 nGy h-1 with a mean value of 135.94 nGy h-1 for indoor and it varies from 72.53 – 132.37 nGy h-1 with a mean value of 94.41 nGy h-1 for outdoor environment. The risk of cancer due to indoor and outdoor gamma radiation exposure were estimated. The cancer risk for the population of the study area for indoor environment varies in the range of 22.05x10-4 – 37.90 x10-4 with a mean value of 28.19x10-4. The mean life time cancer risk for each person working in study area is found nearly ten times higher than the global average of 2.99x10-4. It is in the range of 3.62x10-4 – 6.61 x10-4 with a mean value of 4.72x10-4 for outdoor environment. This mean value is higher than the global average of 2.99x10-4. The results obtained in the present study are compared with the values reported for other parts of the world and discussed. The results show that these people are at higher radiation risk compared to others.

Keywords: Absorbed dose, the annual effective dose, cancer risk

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