由于辐射源的可用性，人类群体正暴露于广泛的土壤辐射。评估土壤中放射性核素的生态和健康效应对于支持最佳土壤管理实践至关重要，但大规模研究仍具有限制。本研究收集了2008年至2022年间位于全球各地（44个国家和159个地点）的土壤中的放射性核素（226Ra、232Th、40K、238U和137Cs）的数据，并应用了放射性危害指数和几种多元统计方法。226Ra、232Th、40K、238U和137Cs的平均活度浓度（Bq/kg）分别为408.56、144.80、508.78、532.78和83.12，其中226Ra、232Th、40K和238U超过了标准限值。主成分分析解释了土壤变异的91%以上。根据地球累积指数，40K在土壤中具有中度至重度污染，而238U和226Ra在土壤中具有中度污染。此外，放射性危害评估指标的平均值如镭当量活度（487.17 Bq/kg），外部辐射危害指数（1.32），内部辐射危害指数（2.15），吸收剂量率（247.86 nGyh-1），年有效剂量率（1.82 mSvy-1），活动利用指数（4.54）和超额终身癌症风险（63.84×10-4）均高于推荐限值，表明研究区域土壤存在显著的放射性风险。研究结果表明，研究区域的土壤受放射性核素污染，在健康风险方面存在危害。该研究对于绘制全球的放射性地图以确定放射性危害水平具有重要价值。© 2023 作者，独家授权给 Springer Nature B.V.

Human populations are being exposed to a wide spectrum of radiation from soils as a result of the availability of radiation sources. Assessing the ecological and health effects of radionuclides in soils is crucial to support the optimal soil management practices but large-scale studies are limited. This study compiled data on radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 238U, and 137Cs) in soils located across the world (44 countries and 159 places) between 2008 and 2022 and applied radiological hazards indices and several multivariate statistical approaches. The average activity concentration (Bq/kg) of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 238U, and 137Cs were 408.56, 144.80, 508.78, 532.78, and 83.12, respectively, whereas 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 238U exceeded the standard limits. The principal component analysis explained more than 91% of variation in soils. Based on the geoaccumulation index, 40K posed moderately to heavy contamination whereas 238U and 226Ra posed moderate contamination in soils. Moreover, the mean values of radiological hazards evaluation such as radium equivalent activity (487.17 Bq/kg), external radiation hazard indices (1.32), internal hazard indices (2.15), absorbed dose rate (247.86 nGyh-1), annual effective dose rate (1.82 mSvy-1), activity utilization index (4.54) and excess lifetime cancer risk (63.84 × 10-4) were higher than recommended limit suggesting significant radiological risks in study region soils. The findings indicated that the study area soils were contaminated by radionuclides and unsafe for hazards in terms of the health risks linked with studied radioactive contents. The study is valuable for mapping radioactivity across the globe to determine the level of radioactivity hazards.© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.