Characterization of Minerals and Naturally Occurring Radionuclides in River Sediments

The minerals such as quartz, feldspar in different structure, kaolinite, calcite, gibbsite, montmorillonite, smectite, organic carbon and polygorskite are identified in 40 locations of Ponnaiyar river by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic technique. The relative distribution of major minerals such as quartz, feldspar (orthoclase and Microcline) and kaolinite are determined by calculating extinction co-efficient. The naturally occurring radionuclides ( 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K) and associated absorbed dose rate are determined by Gamma ray spectroscopic technique. The determined activity concentrations and avera ge absorbed dose rate of all sites are fall within the typical world and Indian average values although some extreme values are determined. Correlation analysis is carried out for distributions of quartz, feldspar and kaolinite and naturally occurring radionuclides, with associated absorbed dose rate.