Environmental radioactivity at the Venezualan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC)

The concentration of137Cs, potassium, thorium and uranium for 6 monitoring sites and 32 other sites at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) were presented, as well as, the estimated air dose and exposure rates for each site. The concentration of137Cs was found to be much higher at many sites at IVIC in respect to the average estimated value of137Cs in Venezuela. But, this was determined to be due to a natural cause, the cloud forest which surrounds the higher elevations. The values of potassium, thorium and uranium were compared to values from other parts of northern Venezuela and were found to agree for sites at similar elevations. They were also shown to be about two to three times higher than global estimates. Thus, the air dose and exposure rates were correspondingly two to three times higher too, but the annual dose from the primordial radionuclides in the soil was estimated to be less than 0.1 mSv, which is considered negligible for health risks.