Comparison of the Background Radiation Level within Kanchanpur District, Nepal G. B. Dhami, M. R. Bhatt, J. Khadayat, B. D. Joshi Journal of Nepal Physical Society Volume 6, Issue 2, December 2020 ISSN: 2392-473X (Print), 2738-9537 (Online) Editors: Dr. Binod Adhikari Dr. Bhawani Joshi Dr. Manoj Kumar Yadav Dr. Krishna Rai Dr. Rajendra Prasad Adhikari Mr. Kiran Pudasainee JNPS, 6 (2), 34-40 (2020) DOI: http://doi.org/10.3126/jnphyssoc.v6i2.34854 Published by: Nepal Physical Society P.O. Box: 2934 Tri-Chandra Campus Kathmandu, Nepal Email: [email protected] JNPS 6 (2): 34-40 (2020) Research Article © Nepal Physical Society ISSN: 2392-473X (Print), 2738-9537 (Online) DOI: http://doi.org/10.3126/jnphyssoc.v6i2.34854 Comparison of the Background Radiation Level within Kanchanpur District, Nepal G. B. Dhami1, M. R. Bhatt1, J. Khadayat1, B. D. Joshi1,* 1Department of Physics, Siddhanath Science Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal *Corresponding Email: [email protected] Received: 23 October, 2020; Revised: 29 November, 2020; Accepted: 27 December, 2020 Abstract We have reported the background radiation of urban and some other rural places of Kanchanpur district, Nepal. A simple portable Geiger Muller counter was used to quantify the level of overall background radiation by collecting data of different forty seven (including six urban and forty one rural places) places within the district. Our study reveals that the background radiation level of the study district is below the risk level. The maximum background count values 33.00±4.47 (Mahakali Zonal Hospital), 33.93 ± 1.16 (Mahakali School, Mahakali -01) and 31.30±3.97 CPM (Gha gaon) have been reported which is below the risk level. The observed values of radiation counts at all the sample places indicate that Kanchanpur district is radiation risk free. Keywords: Background count, GM counter, Kanchanpur, Radiation. 1. INTRODUCTION global climate change, and geogenic dust exposure Propagation of energy in the form of waves or such as asbestos and erionite are another sources particles can be referred as radiation [1-3]. There is causing health risk. Many people in developing radiation everywhere around us. Main sources of countries are affected by these health essues which the radiation are: cosmic rays (from outer space), can be prevented or minimized after detailed and radioactive substances on the earth’s surface, and comprehensive research and educational outreach our bodies [4, 5]. The radiating radionuclides found programs [12-15]. in the environment can be divided into three Literature search reveals that the radiation level of general categories: primordial (which formed Kanchanpur district, Nepal is not measured yet. Our before the earth creation), cosmogenic (which study aims to record and compare the level of formed as a consequence of cosmic rays background radiation of different (urban and rural) interaction) and human produced (which formed areas of the district. Some radiation exposure are due to the human activity). Among these, natural constant and uniform (cosmic) through the world background radiation is the most abundant [6, 7]. while the others vary depending upon the local and Cosmic radiation is one eminent part of radiation due to naturally elevated radioactive substances in entering into the earth’s atmosphere from its some local areas. Being deopsits by Chure region surrounding [3]. Alpha, beta, photons and neutrons originated rivers and improper waste management, are most common types of these radiations. Also, we expect some higher radiation at such places. We the fertilizers are considered as technologically have measured and compared the levels of enhanced natural radiation which increases the background radiation within the study district uranium and partially thorium concentration in selecting some urban and rural areas. The radiation environment [8-10]. The radiation exposure levels are recorded little more at the expected areas situations may include deviations from normal than the others. The observed level of natural operating procedures including accidents and background radiation is not more than 33CPM malicious events [11]. The geological residual which shows that the district is safe (below 100 processes such as volcanic emissions, earthquakes, CPM) from the radiation. 34 G. B. Dhami, M. R. Bhatt, J. Khadayat, B. D. Joshi 2. MATERIALS AND METHOD takes place within the district. It is internally Study area and data collection divided into nine local municipal regions. Out of Kanchanpur, one of the two Terain districts of them Laljhadi and Beldandi are the rural Sudurpaschim province, Nepal, is surrounded by municipalities and rest are the municipalities as Dadeldhura district to the north, Kailali to the east shown in Fig. 1. But still there are almost rural and, India to both the west and south at 28.8372° N, areas together with a few urban parts within the 80.3213° E having 1,610 km² area. There is lower district. Some of the rural and urban areas, forty Chure region to the north and Suklafhanta national seven places in total, of the Kanpur district has park (hub of Krishnasar) within the district. A large been selected as data collection sites for this study. variation in temparature, about 40-45 oC during We have collected data from Sepember 2017 to June-July and near abot 10 oC durin December, May 2018. Fig. 1: Map of the study area: Kanchanpur district, Nepal. A simple portable Geiger Muller (GM) counter has computer and spectra have been plotted using been used for the measurement of the level of origin software. background radiation. The direct field observation method was used for data collection purpose. First Geiger Muller Counter of all, the working voltage of the instrument used The IEC Geiger Counter and Rate meter (Model AP (IEC Geiger counter) was obtained by plotting 1884-002; size: 195x100x37mm; weight: 0.42 kg; plateau curve. Then counter was set at the working power: 12V) has been used for the data collection as voltage and data (count readings) were recorded for shown in Fig. 2. This fully portable battery operated sixty seconds each. The process was repeated five instrument has been used to count high energy Alpha times each along all the six directions (east, west, particles, Beta particles and Gamma rays. This north, south, up and down) for all the sample counter has a potential range of 750 volts that can be places. At all the places, data were collected at adjusted and reading range upto four digits with time three different times; morning, afternoon and options 10, 60 and 100 seconds. The counter was kept evening, and their corresponding mean values were at 425V, the operating voltage, and data were collecte taken for the analysis. Finally, the average data for 60 seconds. The GM counter works on the /average counts were calculated for individual principle of a gas filled detector that consists of a gass direction. These data were analyzed using personal 35 Comparison of the Background Radiation Level within Kanchanpur District, Nepal filled cylindrical tube connected to an applied voltage. the tube interacts with the gas and create quantifiable When ionizing radiation such as alpha, beta or gamma charge within few nano seconds. This charge particles enter into the tube of counter, it ionizes the manifests the electric signal that can be measured and gas molecule into the tube. The radiation entered into referred as the counts. Fig. 2: (a) Internal circuit of G M counter (b) GM counter used for data collection (c) collecting data. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Belauri and International Bank of Reconstruction Using simple GM counter, the level of background and Development (IBRD) are main urban (bazar) radiation of different sample places of Kanchanpur areas of district. Average background count values district were recorded in CPM (counts per minute) of these places and thier standard deviations have successfully. The background radiation counts been tabulated below in Table 1. recorded along six different directions have been A bar diagram of the average background radiation averaged. The average values with standard counts of different urban places is shown below in deviation of the radiation counts of the Fig. 3. In the Fig. 3, IBRD lying near Dodha river corresponding places were calculated and are bank, Belauri having brick and sugar factories and, tabulated as follows: Mahendranagar due to unmanaged waste materials Background radiation counts of urban areas are found to have little higher counts than the other Mahendranagar, Gaddachauki, Jhalari, Brahmdev, places. Table 1: Background radiation counts of urban areas of Kanchanpur district with standard deviation and average CPM. S. N. Name of Urban area Mean CPM S. D. 1 IBRD (Punarbas-03) 27.2 2.70 2 Belauri (Belauri-05) 27.65 0.65 Jhalari (Suklaphanta-04) 24.6 1.14 4 Mahendranagar (Bhimdatt-04) 26.85 0.82 5 Gaddachauki (Bhimdatt-10) 23.1 2.36 6 Brahmdev (Bhimdatt-09) 24.60 0.89 36 G. B. Dhami, M. R. Bhatt, J. Khadayat, B. D. Joshi Fig. 3: Bar diagram showing comparison of mean counts of six different urban places. Similarly, forty one rural areas were selected below in Table 2 with their their standard deviation randomly for the observation procedure. The values. Among these places, the radiation level at observed mean background radiation counts for Mahakali Adarsh Secondary school (Mahakali-01) some of these selected rural areas are tabulated was reported little higher than the other places. Table 2: Average background radiation counts of some