Assessing the Radiological Risks Associated with High Natural Radioactivity of Microgranitic Rocks: A Case Study in a Northeastern Desert of Egypt

This study aimed to evaluate the radiological hazards of uranium (238U), thorium (232Th), and potassium (40K) in microgranitic rocks from the southeastern part of Wadi Baroud, a northeastern desert of Egypt. The activity concentrations of the measured radionuclides were determined by using a gamma-ray spectrometer (NaI-Tl-activated detector). The mean (238U), (232Th), and (40K) concentrations in the studied rocks were found to be 3680.3, 3635.2, and 822.76 Bq/kg, respectively. The contents in these rocks were elevated, reaching up to 6.3 wt%. This indicated the alkaline nature of these rocks. The high ratios of Th/U in the mineralized rocks could be related to late magmatic mineralization, suggesting the ascent of late magmatic fluids through weak planes such as faults and the contact of these rocks with older granites. The present data were higher than those of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) guideline limits. All the radiological hazard results indicated high human health risks. This confirmed that this area is not radiologically safe, and care must be taken when working in this area. This study showed that the area under investigation had high U content suitable for uranium extraction that could be used in the nuclear fuel cycle.

Prediction of the irradiation doses from ultrashort laser-solid interactions using different temperature scalings at moderate laser intensities

The ionizing radiation created by high intensity and high repetition rate lasers can cause significant radiological hazard. Earlier defined electron temperature scalings are used for dose characterization and prediction using Monte Carlo modeling. Dosimetric implications of different electron temperature scalings are investigated and the resulting equivalent doses are compared. It was found that scaling defined by Beg et al.(1997) predicts the highest electron temperatures for given intensities, and subsequently the highest doses. The atomic number of the target, x-ray generation efficiency and interaction volume are the other parameters necessary for the dose evaluation. The set of these operational parameters should be sufficient to characterize radiological characteristics of ultrashort laser pulse based x-ray generators and evaluate radiological hazards of the laser processing facilities.

Radioactivity of long-lived gamma emitters in egg

Radioactivity in egg was investigated. The targeted radionuclides were the long-lived gamma emitters 228Ra, 226Ra, and 40K. Measurements were carried out using a high purity germanium detector. The calculated annual effective dose due to egg consumption was 79 μSv yr-1, which forms 1/4 of the 290 μSv yr-1 world average ingestion exposure from natural sources. Hence, no radiological hazards exist from egg consumption due to the presence of the investigated radionuclides.

Study and Characterization of Natural Radioactivity Levels and Radiological Hazards of Soil in Wasit Governorate

In this paper studied and measured the natural radioactive for agricultural soil samples surrounding Kut as well as gardens, home, casinos and others. Eighteen samples of agricultural land were taken on three deep depths the first depth 10 cm and the second 20 cm and the third 30 cm. Twenty-five samples were taken from public parks, parks, casinos and other parks. They are all measured using a system NaI (Tl) 3″ × 3″. The results that the radioactive effectiveness of uranium for all samples are ranged 17.19 to 38.68 Bq/Kg and at a rate of 30.55 Bq/Kg for all samples. Thorium series values were between 56.45 to 13.26 Bq/Kg with average 38.60 Bq/Kg. With regard to potassium, values were ranged 537.20 to 118.30 Bq/Kg at a rate of 250.25 Bq/Kg. The values of radioactive effectiveness for potassium are within the globally allowed compared with the radioactive effectiveness of the Thorium. The radium equivalent and the rate absorbed dose in air and the external and internal hazard index and the annual effective dose has been calculated and that all values are within the globally allowed limits.

Radiometric analysis of micas used in many industries and evaluation of radiological hazards

Mica group minerals have been utilized in various industries such as paint, cement, rubber, plastic, paper, automotive, cosmetics, textile, etc. due to their unique electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. In this study, the radiometric properties of 58 mica samples collected from three quarries operated commercially in Turkey were investigated using gamma-ray spectroscopy with an HPGe detector. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K analyzed in mica samples were found as 12, 44, and 2763 Bq kg−1, respectively. The radon emanation coefficient and radon mass exhalation rate of mica samples varied from 4 to 22% with an average of 10% and 0.4–5.9 µBq kg−1 s−1 with an average of 2.6 µBq kg−1 s−1, respectively. The radiological hazard caused by the utilization of mica samples as raw materials in the cement and concrete industry was evaluated for adults by calculating the gamma index and annual effective dose due to external exposure indoor. The study results revealed that there are no significant radiological hazards associated with the utilization of mica samples as building raw materials.