scholarly journals Natural Radioactivity in Selected Soil Samples from the Archaeological of Ur City in Dhi-Qar Province, Iraq

Author(s):  
Iman Tarik Al-Alawy ◽  
Monar Deya Salim

The specific activity of natural radionuclides in 24 soil samples collected from antiquities area of Ur city in Dhi-Qar province (31.0459863N, 46.2534257E) in southern Iraq have been studied and evaluated. Experimental results were obtained by using a Gamma ray spectrometer analysis system consists of a scintillation detector Sodium Iodide activated by Thallium NaI(Tl) of (3"×3") crystal dimension at the laboratory of radiation detection and measurement in Science Collage, University of Kufa. The spectrometer has been calibrated for energy by acquiring a spectrum from four standard sources of gamma radiations supplied by spectrum techniques (LLC). The measuring time of all soil samples is 18000 seconds; it was found that, the soil specific activity ranges from 29.93±2.97 to 9.99±2.56Bq/kg for 238U, from 25.66±2.55 to 7.77±2.24Bq/kg for 232Th and from 397.38±12.06 to 215.75±8.91Bq/kg for 40K, with mean values of 17.9±3.02Bq/kg, 13.66±2.41Bq/kg and 314.62±11.3Bq/kg, respectively. The results have been compared with the acceptable data of the worldwide literatures. In order to evaluate the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the gamma absorbed dose rate (AD), the annual effective dose rate and the both (external and internal) hazard index have been calculated and compared with the acceptable values of the worldwide average (UNSCEAR 2000).

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 00052
Author(s):  
Aneta Łukaszek-Chmielewska ◽  
Martin Girard ◽  
Olga Stawarz ◽  
Barbara Piotrowska ◽  
Karol Wojtkowski ◽  
...  

In this article are presented the results of measurements of natural radioactivity in twelve soil samples from the Kampinoski National Park by using high purity germanium detector (HPGe). The average values of the natural radionuclides 40K, 226Ra and 228Ac concentrations in the soil samples are 8.54, 6.65 and 206 Bq/kg respectively. Additionally radiation hazard indices were calculated to evaluate the radiological risk for the public and environment. The results show that the mean values of radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and gamma absorbed dose rate (D) in the air, outdoor annual effective dose equivalent (Eout), and representative level index (Iγ) for analyzed samples were lower than the limit recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). This study is the first to evaluate the radiological impacts in the investigation area.


2018 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-11
Author(s):  
C M Alonso-Hernández ◽  
A L Toledo-Sibello ◽  
A Guillén-Arruebarrena ◽  
R Sibello-Hernández ◽  
Y Morera-Gómez ◽  
...  

Abstract The natural radioactivity and the associated radiation hazards of soils from the Cumanayagua Granitoide-Granitic massif in the central south of Cuba have been studied. Mass activities of the natural radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K varied in the ranges 10.4–33, 4.6–21.7 and 381–1201 Bq kg−1, respectively. The radium equivalent activity (91.4 ± 22.1 Bq kg−1), absorbed dose rate (45.6 ± 11.1 nGy h−1), annual effective dose rate (56.1 ± 13.7 μSv y−1) and the external hazard index (0.25 ± 0.06) have been calculated and compared with the internationally approved values. According to these results, the area can be regarded as an area with normal natural background radiation and may not pose radiological risks to the inhabitants owing to harmful effects of ionizing radiation from the natural radionuclides in soils. This study provides background radioactivity concentrations in Cumanayagua Granitoide area and generate a baseline data for radiological mapping of Cuba in the future.


2014 ◽  
Vol 979 ◽  
pp. 35-38
Author(s):  
Prasong Kessaratikoon ◽  
Ruthairat Boonkrongcheep ◽  
Supphawut Benjakul ◽  
Suchin Udomsomporn

The specific activity of the natural (40K, 226Ra and 232Th) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radionuclides have been studied and evaluated for 97 surface soil samples collected from 7 districts of Phang Nga province in the south of Thailand. High-purity germanium (HPGe) detector and gamma ray spectrometry analysis system were employed to measure and analyze the experimental results. It was found that, the ranges of specific activities of 40K, 226Ra, 232Th and 137Cs in surface soil samples are 251.50 – 15740.34, 15.21 – 791.42, 18.14 – 854.34 and < 0.33 – 16.91 Bq/kg with average values are 2886.77 ± 225.93, 165.71 ± 8.45, 160.36 ± 7.93 and 5.76 ± 2.49 Bq/kg, respectively. The results were also compared with some research data in national and global radioactivity measurement and evaluations. Furthermore, the radiological hazards of Phang Nga province were calculated through the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the external hazard index (Hex), the gamma absorbed dose rate (D) and the annual effective dose rate (AEDout) and also compared with research data in the south of Thailand and the safety limits recommended values by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Moreover, the radioactive contour maps of the natural (40K, 226Ra and 232Th) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radionuclides have been also created for the investigated area.


This work was undertaken with the purpose of measuring natural radioactivity, due to 238U, 232Th and 40K in 30 soil samples collected from two hospitals in the governorate of (AL-Najaf), in Iraq. The samples were distributed (15) samples per hospital, and Radiation risks were also calculated for all soil samples. The natural radioactivity was measured using NaI (Tl) detector, the results of the specific activity at the Al Sadr Hospital were 238U ranged from (5.89±0.36 to 21.38±0.69) (Bq/kg) with average value 12.60±0.51 (Bq/kg). 232Th from (0.44±0.06 to 14.67±0.37) (Bq/kg) with average value (4.46±0.19) (Bq/kg), and 40K from (252.14±2.54 to 478.24±3.50) (Bq/kg) with average value (346.95±289) (Bq/kg). AL-Forat AL-Aosat hospital results were 238U ranged from (0.69±0.12 to 27.63±0.74) (Bq/kg) with average value (12.84±0.51) (Bq/kg), 232Th from (1.47±0.11 to 9.3±0.31 (Bq/kg) with average value 6.19±0.24 (Bq/kg), and 40K from (192.88±2.27 to 338.52±3.08) (Bq/kg) with average value (254.29±2.54) (Bq/kg). The radiation risks calculated, Radium Equivalent (Raeq), external Hazard index (Hex), absorbed dose rate (ADr), total Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE), and the Excess Life Cancer Risk (ELCR). The results were for Al Sadr Hospital (45.7063(Bq/kg), 0.1234, 23.0648(nGy/h), 0.0283(mSV/y), 1.247439702×10-3) respectively. For AL-Forat AL-Aosat hospital were (41.2655 (Bq/kg), 0.111, 20.3772 (nGy/h), 0.0250(mSV/y)`, 1.102083688×10-3) respectively. The results in the two hospitals were compared with the global allowable values ratio within the permissible ranges specified by UNSCER, OCDE, and ICRP; we concluded that all the sites in this study are safe.


2014 ◽  
Vol 955-959 ◽  
pp. 3691-3695
Author(s):  
Gang Song ◽  
Min Xing Lu ◽  
Qiu Ping Zhu ◽  
Di Yun Chen ◽  
Yong Heng Chen

The natural radionuclide (238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K) concentrations in 152 soil samples were determined from two major granite areas in Guangzhou, using high resolution γ-ray spectroscopic system based on the characteristic spectral peaks. The mean activity values for 238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found to be 156.6±98.8, 160.9±96.5, 184.8±101.5 and 832.5±493.1 Bq kg–1 dry mass, respectively. The absorbed dose rate (D) calculated from activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K ranged from 53.2 to 497.1 nGy h–1 with a mean of 220.7 nGy h–1. The Radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the outdoor annual effective dose and the external hazard index (Ir), which resulted from the natural radionuclides in soil, were also calculated and found to vary from 119.7 to 1117.2 Bq kg–1, from 0.07 to 0.61 mSv and from 0.33 to 3.07, respectively. The radium equivalent activities and the external hazard index in all the soil samples were same as 64.5% higher than the limit of 370 Bq kg–1 and 1.0, respectively. The outdoor annual effective dose was higher than the worldwide mean value of 0.07 mSv.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice Moyo Ndontchueng ◽  
Eric Jilbert Mekongtso Nguelem ◽  
Augustin Simo ◽  
Raymond Limen Njinga ◽  
Gembou Shouop Cébastien Joël

A study of natural radioactivity levels in some composites of eighteen soil samples selected within Douala-Bassa zone of Littoral Region has been evaluated. The samples were analysed using gamma spectrometry based broad energy germanium detector (BEGe 6350). The activity profile of radionuclide shows low activity across the studied areas. The obtained mean values of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the two campuses were 25.48 Bq/kg, 65.96 Bq/kg, and 39.14 Bq/kg for Campus 1 and 24.50 Bq/kg, 66.71 Bq/kg, and 28.19 Bq/kg for Campus 2, respectively. In terms of health analysis, some radiation health hazard parameters were calculated within the two campuses. The mean values of radium equivalent activity were 122.81 Bq/kg and 122.08 Bq/kg, absorbed dose rate in air was 99.13 nGy/h and 98.18 nGy/y, annual outdoor effective dose was 0.12 mSv/y and 0.12 mSv/y, and external health hazard index was 0.34 and 0.33 in Campus 1 and Campus 2, respectively. These health hazard parameters were seen to be below the safe limit of UNSCEAR 2000 except the absorbed dose rate in air and the annual outdoor effective doses which are relatively high compared to the values of 60 nGy/h and 0.07 mSv/y. These results reveal no significant radiological health hazards for inhabitance within the study areas.


2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shyamal Chakraborty

The specific activities of 232Th, 238U, 40K, and 137Cs in undisturbed surface soil at 56 locations of Bangladesh, covering its entire area, were measured using high resolution HPGe detector. The mean specific activity concentrations of the mentioned radionuclides were respectively found to be 83.56 ? 17.96 Bq/kg, 44.35 ? 12.65 Bq/kg, 630.89 ? 173.85 Bq/kg, and 5.37 ? ? 4.87 Bq/kg. A good correlation between the activities of 232Th and 238U was found. The radiological parameters namely radium equivalent activity, representative level index, external hazard index, internal hazard index, absorbed dose rate, and effective annual outdoor dose rate due to the natural radionuclides were also calculated. The average values of the mentioned parameters were found to be 212.26 ? 43.93 Bq/kg, 1.55 ? 0.32 Bq/kg, 0.29 ? 0.06, 0.69 ? 0.15, 97.27 ? 20.03 nGy/h, and 119.37 ? 24.58 mSv/y, respectively. The radiation dose levels at the points of sample collection were also measured by a portable radiation dose rate-meter. The average value of the outdoor dose rate was found to be 0.20 ? 0.07 mSv/h ranging from 0.16 ? 0.02 mSv/h to 0.28 ? 0.04 mSv/h. The distributions of natural radionuclides were found to be normal. The concentration levels of different radionuclides were comparable to the corresponding reported values of the soil of different countries.


2021 ◽  
pp. 2940-2947
Author(s):  
Farah Faris Kaddoori ◽  
Basim Khalaf Rejah ◽  
Sala Sami Hamza ◽  
Karima Saber Wadi

   In the present work, radium (226Ra), thorium (232Th), potassium (40 K), and cesium (137Cs) (Bq/kg) was measured for 24 soil samples of some districts of Al-Doura city in Baghdad governorate. The gamma spectrometry method with NaI (Tl) detector was used for radiometric measurements. The average values of specific activity for   226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs in soil samples were 38.03, 42.48, 16.34 and 2.76 Bq/kg, respectively. The radiation indicators were measured and the average values recorded were 100 Bq/kg, 44.6 nGy/h, 0.27 Bq/kg, 0.373 Bq/kg, 0.219 mSv/y, 0.055 mSv/y and 0.689 Bq/kg for the parameters of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the absorbed dose rate (D), the external hazard index (Hex), the internal risk index (Hin), and the annual effective equivalent dose for the indoor (In Eff.), outdoor annual effective dose equivalent (Out Eff.) and representative gamma index (Iγr), respectively. All the health hazard indices were well below their recommended limits, except in one soil sampling site (AL-Eskan site) which were found to be 0.495 Hex and 0.668 Hin.


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 265-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Penabei ◽  
D. Bongue ◽  
P. Maleka ◽  
T. Dlamini ◽  
Saïdou ◽  
...  

In order to assess the levels of natural radioactivity and the associated radiological hazards in some building materials of the Mayo-Kebbi region (Chad), a total of nineteen samples were collected on the field. Using a high resolution γ-ray spectrometry system, the activity concentrations of radium (226Ra), thorium (232Th) and potassium (40K) in these samples have been determined. The measured average activity concentrations range from 0.56 ± 0.37 Bq kg−1 to 435 ± 7 Bq kg−1, 1.3 ± 0.6 Bq kg−1 to 50.6 ± 1.1 Bq kg−1 and 4.3 ± 2.0 Bq kg−1 to 840 ± 9 Bq kg−1, for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The highest 226Ra average activities is found in soil brick samples of Zabili. The highest mean value of 232Th and 40K concentrations are found in soil brick samples of Madajang. The activity concentration and the radium equivalent activity (Raeq) have been compared to other studies done elsewhere in the world. Their average values are lower than most of those of countries with which the comparison has been made. Were also evaluated, the external radiation hazard index, the internal radiation hazard index, the indoor air absorbed dose rate, the outdoor air absorbed dose rate, the activity utilization index, the annual effective dose, the annual gonadal dose equivalent, the representative level index, as well as, the excess lifetime cancer risk. In accordance with the criterion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, our results show that soil brick samples of Zabili and Madajang increases the risk of radiation exposure, thereby the possibility of developing cancer by people living in this environment. Based on these findings, brick samples from Zabili and Madajang are not recommended for construction purposes. All other sample materials have properties that are acceptable for use as building materials in terms of radiation hazard.


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Branislava Mitrovic ◽  
Dragana Todorovic ◽  
Jelena Ajtic ◽  
Borjana Vranjes

This review paper discusses the content of natural (40K, 238U, 226Ra, and 232Th) and artificial (137Cs) radionuclides in the soil of the mountains of Maljen, Tara and Kopaonik in the Republic of Serbia over 2002-2015. In addition, the paper gives radiation hazard parameters, i.e., radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent, external hazard index, annual gonadal dose equivalent, and excess lifetime cancer risk outdoors that we calculated from the obtained content of the natural radionuclides in the soil samples. We compared the parameters to previously published results for different parts of the country and looked into the radioecological status of the investigated areas.


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