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Background: Measurement of background radiation is very important from different points of view especially for human health. The aim of this survey was focused on determining the current background radiation in one of the highest altitude regions ( Zagros Mountains ), Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, in the south west of Iran .

Materials and Methods: The outdoors-environmental monitoring exposure rate of radiation was measured in 200 randomly chosen regions using portable Geiger-Muller and Scintillation detectors. Eight measurements were made for each region and an average value was used to calculate the exposure rate from natural background radiation.

Results: The exposure dose rate was found to be 28.4 m Rh^-1 and the annual average effective equivalent dose was found to be 0.49 mSv. An overall population weighted average outdoor dose rate was calculated to be 49 nGyh^-1, which is higher than the world-wide mean value of
44 nGyh^-1 and is comparable to the annual effective equivalent dose of 0.38 mSv.

Conclusion: A good correlation between the altitude and the exposure rate was observed, as the higher altitude regions have higher natural background radiation levels. Iran . J. Radiat. Res. 2003 1(2): 87 – 91.

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Background: The equivalent dose in the human body due to the natural gamma-emitting radionucides (238U, 232Th and 40K) in the surface soil surrounding the Consolidated Tin mine site in Bukuru-Jos, Nigeria has been determined in this study. Materials and Methods: Measurements of the soil natural radioactivity were made using a multi-channel pulseheight analyzer (Canberra Series 10 plus) coupled to a 76 mm×76 mm Nal (Tl) scintillation detector. Results: The mean concentrations obtained for each of the radionuclides is 35.4±17.6 Bq/kg for 40K 776.0± 158.0 Bq/kg for 238U and 2.72±0.58 kBq/kg for 232Th. The mean absorbed dose rate due to natural radioactivity calculated at a height of 1.0 m above the ground is 2.16 µGy/hr which converts to an equivalent dose of 3.0 mSv/y. Conclusion: The results obtained in this study are far above the world average equivalent dose of 0.41 mSv/y but lower than the annual limit of 20 mSv/y for radiation workers but still represents a health risk to workers on the site.

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