Radiation Physics and Engineering
A peer-reviewed journal published by K. N. Toosi University of Technology

Radiological hazards in soil and water of the gold mining area in the Kolar Gold Field (KGF) of Karnataka State, India

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Anil Kumar 1
A Naveen Kumar 2
M Balakrishna 3
Usha Desai 4, 5

1 Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kozhikode 673601, Kerala, India

2 Department of Physics, S.E.A College of Engineering and Technology, Bengaluru 560049, Karnataka, India

3 Department of Mathematics, S.E.A College of Engineering and Technology, Bengaluru 560049, Karnataka, India

4 Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, S.E.A College of Engineering and Technology, Bengaluru 560049, Karnataka, India

5 Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi 590018, Karnataka, India

https://doi.org/10.22034/rpe.2025.520037.1270
Abstract
Radionuclide activity concentrations in soil are influenced by local geology and atmospheric factors. The radioactive noble gas radon is emitted from the crust of the planet by Ra-226. Utilizing the sodium iodide scintillation counter technique, the radioactive contents of four Kolar Gold Field (K.G.F) workplaces close to the mining zone have been measured. Emanometry method is used to measure the activity concentration in drinking water and Sodium Iodide detector to measure activity in soil. Conventional methods are employed to determine the physicochemical characteristics and radon (Rn-222) activity in the drinking water of the research region. Although the physicochemical parameters are within the permissible range, the average levels of Ra-226 and Rn-222 activity are within the acceptable limit. The concentrations of radionuclides and physicochemical parameters in drinking water are affected by mining activities. Measurements are also made of physical-chemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved salts. Electrical conductivity rose in the drinking water samples that contained dissolved salts. The Radium Equivalent activity (Raeq) is below the 370 Bqkg-1 safety limit, falling between 30.54 ± 2.51 Bqkg-1 and 215 ± 7.62 Bqkg-1. Both the external and internal hazard indices (Hex and Hin) were less than unity, indicating that the soils pose no significant risk from gamma radiation or radon inhalation. Overall, the results confirm that the studied soil and water samples are radiologically safe for environmental use, including potential construction applications. The findings contribute valuable baseline data for radiation protection, environmental monitoring, and sustainable management of natural resources in mining-affected regions.

Highlights

  • Radionuclide concentrations and physicochemical properties were higher in mining areas compared to non-mining ones.
  • Radium equivalent activity in soil samples were well below the 370 Bq.kg−1safety limit.
  • Rn-222 and Ra-226 concentrations in drinking water were within safe limits, though slightly elevated in mining areas.
  • The pH ranged from 6.67 to 7.25, TDS and conductivity values indicated increased salinity from industrial discharges.
  • External and internal hazard indices for soil were both below unity.

Keywords

Scintillation cell
Radionuclide Activity
External hazard index
Gamma spectrometry
Internal hazard index
Physicochemical parameters

Copyright
RPE is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no potential conflict of interest regarding the publication of this work‎.

Funding
‎The authors declare that no funds‎, ‎grants‎, ‎or other financial support were received during the preparation of this manuscript‎.

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Radiation Physics and Engineering
Volume 7, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 39-46

  • Receive Date 29 April 2025
  • Revise Date 20 November 2025
  • Accept Date 23 November 2025

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