Radioactivity concentration and radiological risk assessment of beach sand along the coastline in the Mediterranean Sea

A radiological baseline survey was conducted using a calculation analysis to assess the ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs distribution in beach sand samples collected from the coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. An analysis of the activity concentration of selected radionuclides was conducted. No evidence of recent migration of radiocaesium was found through precipitation, as well as indirect pathways, such as ocean runoff. The activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs in beach sands ranged from 12 ± 1 to 37 ± 4 Bq kg^{− 1} (mean of 26 ± 3 Bq kg^{− 1}); 18 ± 2 to 71 ± 8 Bq kg^{− 1} (mean of 40 ± 5 Bq kg^{− 1}); 411 ± 10 to 720 ± 16 Bq kg^{− 1} (mean of 572 ± 12 Bq kg^{− 1}); and 0.8 ± 0.1 to 3.1 ± 0.6 Bq kg^{− 1} (mean of 1.9 ± 0.3 Bq kg^{− 1}), respectively. The radiological risk assessment showed that in all cases the values were lower than those that endanger life and safe work.