Anthropogenic accumulation based on chemometrics of the radionuclide K-40 in tropical soils in the northeast Brazil.

The continuous use of fertilizers can increase the radionuclides levels in soils, and their accumulation and concentration are related to their characteristics and the various processes of use and soil occupation. Analyzing data from radiometric and pedological measurements often demands the use of more robust tools for better integration of results. This work presents the results of a study to evaluate the accumulation of K, in an area of the Zona da Mata region in Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil, due to the contribution of natural or artificial sources.