Lithological control of natural radioactivity in Baltic coastal sands and implications for pre-operational radiological monitoring
4 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology
- 2Fire University
- 3Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection
- 4Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, AGH University of Krakow
Abstract
Natural radioactivity in coastal sediments reflects both geological provenance and sedimentary processes, and its quantification is essential for environmental monitoring in areas of planned nuclear infrastructure. This study establishes pre-operational baseline levels of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th in coastal sands of the southern Baltic Sea prior to nuclear power plant construction. Fifteen samples collected along an east–west transect were analysed by gamma spectrometry, and radiological hazard indices were calculated. Activity concentrations ranged from 120 to 322 Bq kg−1 for 40K, 2.3–12.0 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra and 1.9–8.7 Bq kg−1 for 232Th. Multivariate analysis revealed clear spatial differentiation between a barrier–embayment sector enriched in 226Ra and 232Th and a moraine-dominated sector characterized by higher 40K. Principal Component Analysis explained 88.6% of total variance, indicating strong lithological control, while a significant 226Ra–232Th correlation (R2 = 0.896) suggests a common mineralogical carrier. All radiological indices remained below recommended limits, confirming the low-background nature of the sediments. Comparison with global data shows that the studied sands fall within the lower range of quartz-dominated coastal systems and lack heavy-mineral enrichment. The results provide a robust baseline for future radiological monitoring in dynamic glacial coastal environments.
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BibTeX
@article{szylakszydlowski2026lithological,
title = {{Lithological control of natural radioactivity in Baltic coastal sands and implications for pre-operational radiological monitoring}},
author = {Mirosław Szyłak-Szydłowski and Aneta Łukaszek-Chmielewska and Krzysztof Isajenko and Barbara Piotrowska and Bogdan Kosturkiewicz},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-57584-1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-57584-1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Lithological control of natural radioactivity in Baltic coastal sands and implications for pre-operational radiological monitoring
AU - Mirosław Szyłak-Szydłowski
AU - Aneta Łukaszek-Chmielewska
AU - Krzysztof Isajenko
AU - Barbara Piotrowska
AU - Bogdan Kosturkiewicz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-57584-1
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-57584-1
AB - Natural radioactivity in coastal sediments reflects both geological provenance and sedimentary processes, and its quantification is essential for environmental monitoring in areas of planned nuclear infrastructure. This study establishes pre-operational baseline levels of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th in coastal sands of the southern Baltic Sea prior to nuclear power plant construction. Fifteen samples collected along an east–west transect were analysed by gamma spectrometry, and radiological hazard indices were calculated. Activity concentrations ranged from 120 to 322 Bq kg−1 for 40K, 2.3–12.0 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra and 1.9–8.7 Bq kg−1 for 232Th. Multivariate analysis revealed clear spatial differentiation between a barrier–embayment sector enriched in 226Ra and 232Th and a moraine-dominated sector characterized by higher 40K. Principal Component Analysis explained 88.6% of total variance, indicating strong lithological control, while a significant 226Ra–232Th correlation (R2 = 0.896) suggests a common mineralogical carrier. All radiological indices remained below recommended limits, confirming the low-background nature of the sediments. Comparison with global data shows that the studied sands fall within the lower range of quartz-dominated coastal systems and lack heavy-mineral enrichment. The results provide a robust baseline for future radiological monitoring in dynamic glacial coastal environments.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -