Quantification of outdoor gamma radiation level and consequent health hazards assessment in Panipat district of Haryana, India

The radiation dose due to natural terrestrial gamma radiations is an important contribution to the average total dose rate received by world’s population. Therefore, in this study, a systematic measurement of outdoor gamma radiations has been done using radiation monitor, based on Geiger-Muller technique, in Panipat district of Haryana. The gamma dose rate was found to be in the range from 85 ± 4.250 nSv/h – 216 ± 10.800 nSv/h. The annual effective dose (AED) due to outdoor gamma radiation in Panipat district was computed to be in the range of 0.104 ± 0.005—0.265 ± 0.010 mSv/year. The value of excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) was found to be in the range of 0.391 × 10–3—0.994 × 10–3.