Analysis of Radionuclide Content in Soil Samples Using the X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) Method

Abstract

The high average value of natural gamma radiation dose rate in Mamuju Regency indicates that the uniqueness is related to the high concentration of radioactive elements of Uranium, Thorium, and Potassium deposited in the rock. In this study, X-Ray Fluorescence tests were carried out with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence equipment on 5 soil samples from Mamuju Regency. Measurements were made on powder and pellet specimens. The results showed that the average concentration of radioactive elements uranium (U) was 712.17 ppm and 3581.45 for Thorium (Th), while for Potassium (K) was 9127.75 ppm. The thorium element appears to be more dominant with the Th/U ratio reaching 3.99 which is higher than the average Th/U ratio in the Earth’s crust of 3.70. A positive correlation between U and Th was obtained with a correlation coefficient value of 0.60, and a positive correlation was also shown by the relationship between U and Th, indicating the enrichment of U along with the enrichment of Th. Analysis of XRF data and dose rate data shows that there are two locations that show a very close relationship between the dose rate and the concentration of radioactive elements in the sample, while in other samples the influence of land use into gardens or highway strips affects the measured dose rate.