Analysis of natural radionuclides and137Cs using HPGe spectrometer and radiological hazards assessment for Al-Nigella site, Egypt (original) (raw)
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Radiological aspects of water, soil and shore sediments resources in Marsa Alam-Shalateen area, Red Sea coast, Egypt, were investigated with the aim of presenting background about the radiological levels and assessing the associated hazards. The results of study are intended to support the governmental authorities as regards the future-natural resources management. Sixty nine environmental samples (30 water, 33 soil and 6 shore sediments samples) were collected in 2015 and analyzed for Ra-226 (U-238) series, Th-232 series, K-40 and Cs-137 radionuclides using Hyper-Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector. For all samples, the activity concentrations of Cs-137 radionuclide are under the detection limit of the used analytical procedures. As regards the water resources, the Th-232 activity concentrations in the major part of water samples were under the detection limit. The Ra-226 activity concentrations ranged from <0.7 to 7.6 Bq L À1 and from <0.7 to 6.31 Bq L À1 for groundwater and sea water samples, respectively. All the desalinized water and 50% from wastewaters were clear of Ra-226 activity concentration. The K-40 ranged from <3 to 32.84 Bq L À1 , from <3 to 38.17 Bq L À1 , from <3 to 54.31 Bq L À1 and from <3 to 40.91 Bq L À1 for groundwater, sea water, desalinized water and wastewater samples, respectively. Radiologically, all fresh waters, safe for drinking except Al Gaheliya well showed Ra-226 activity concentration higher than the guidance level recommended by the WHO. For soil cover, the average activity concentrations of Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 of the carbonaceous soil samples were 18.45, 16.78, and 334.35 Bq kg À1 , respectively. While for the siliceous soil samples, they were 10.24, 8.68 and 234.47 Bq kg À1 , respectively. For shore sediment samples having calcareous nature, the average concentrations of Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 were 10.76, 9.86 and 304.74 Bq Kg À1. There are no risks for people health based on the calculated radiological hazard indices. However, people could be affected by radiation in one site (Marsa Alam-Shelateen Road km 33), where the representative level index (1.052 Bq kg À1) and absorbed gamma dose rate (66.5 nGy h À1) exceed the maximum permissible limits.
The International Conference on Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Natural radioactivity exists everywhere around us in soil, air, water, and atmosphere and even in our bodies. Radiological background levels especially for vital locations are of great importance to our country nuclear program. EL-Dabaa site, at which the first Egyptian nuclear power plant will be constructed, is strategic area to be monitored before the beginning of the plant experimental and commercial operation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the radioactivity levels and its radiological hazard indices especially in the zones around the NPPs; exclusion zone, low population zone and high population area (El-Dabaa old and new town). Many soil and shore sediment samples were collected from these areas. They were prepared and then analyzed using HpGe spectrometer. The calculations of activity concentration (Ac) of natural radionuclides 238 U, 232 Th decay series and 40 K were carried out. Based on the results obtained, the hazard indices (air absorbed gamma dose rate D , annual effective dose E , excess life time cancer risk ELCR) indoor and outdoor also (Ra equivalent Raeq and internal and external hazard index Hin,Hex) also (gamma index I and alpha index I) were estimated. The man-made radionuclide 137 Cs was also measured. The results are tabulated, plotted, discussed and compared with the national and international levels and limits.
The natural radioactivity of soil at Nineveh Province has been studied in this paper. The radioactivities of 19 soil samples have been measured with NaI(Tl) detector. The radioactivity concentrations of, 226Ra , 232Th ,214Pb and 40K ranged from, 17.02 to 40.98 Bq/kg, 11.22 to 32.65 Bq/kg,8.46 to 16.00 Bq/kg and from 206.51 to 509.56 Bq/kg respectively. In order to evaluate the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, the radium equivalent activity ,the absorbed dose rate, the annual effective dose rate, internal and external hazard indices , gamma index, alpha index, excess life time cancer risk and finally annual gonadal dose equivalent have been calculated. The study provides background radioactivity concentrations in Nineveh Province. Specific activity concentrations in ten soil samples of selected regions in Nineveh province were analyzed for the natural radioactivity of 226Ra, 232Th,214Pb and 40K using γ-spectroscopy based on highpurity germanium detector with an efficiency of 40%. The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides 226Ra,232Th ,214Pb and 40K were found to range from 16.21 Bq/kg in (Al-Medan district) (S9) to 38.83 Bq/kg in( Sinjar district) (S1)with an average value of value of 32.52±6.48 Bq/kg , 8.53 Bq/kg in (Al-Medan district) (S9) to 28.37Bq/kg in (Rabeaa district)(S2) with an average value of 20.30±5.36 Bq/kg, 8.13 Bq/kg in (Al-Medan district) (S9) to 18.22 Bq/kg in ( Sinjar district) (S1) with an average value of 14.78± 2.97and 236.03 Bq/kg in (Telkaif district) (S5) to 613.11 Bq/kg in (Rabeaa district) (S2) with an average value of 378.93± 123.29 Bq/kg. The radium equivalent activity, absorbed gamma dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent , gamma index , alpha index ,internal and external hazard indices, excess life time cancer risk and annual gonadal dose equivalent associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated.
Natural radioactivity assessment in soil samples from Kirkuk city of Iraq using HPGe detector
Iranian Journal of Radiation Research, 2018
Background: Inspection of the level of radioactivity from radionuclides in soil is important for the assessment of the exposure to natural radiation. Materials and Methods: Ten samples from soil were collected from different sites of Kirkuk-IRAQ and the level of natural radioactivity was measured using gamma-ray spectrometry based on a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. Results: It was found that the specific activity ranged from 27.4 to 57.0 Bq kg for Ra, from 11.0 to 25.4 Bq kg for Th, and from 207.4 to 516.0 Bq kg for K. The results have been compared with the average values worldwide. The hazard indices have also been calculated. In general certain average values were found to be lower than the world average values; these included the average value of the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the absorbed gamma dose rate (D), the external and internal hazard Hex and Hin, the gamma radiation representative level Index (Iγ) and the outdoor and indoor annual effective dose rate (A...
Journal of Radiation and Nuclear Applications, 2018
Soil samples were collected from four tehsils of district Chakwal, Pakistan with an aim to measure naturally occurring radio-nuclides in this region. Radioactivities of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K are measured using high purity germanium (HPGe) based gamma ray spectrometry system. The measured mean specific activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the soil samples was 34.27 ± 1.28, 51.59 ± 2.73 Bqkg-1 and 606.42 ± 21.23 Bqkg-1. From the measured activity concentrations of soil samples, radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indices, terrestrial absorbed dose, gamma representative Index, annual effective dose, annual gonadal dose equivalent, and estimated life time cancer risk were calculated. Mean radium equivalent activity (Raeq), outdoor radiation hazard index (Hex), indoor radiation hazard index (Hin), absorbed dose rate (D) and gamma representative Index (Iγ) for soil were found to be 155.02 ± 6.66 Bqkg-1 0.42 ± 0.2, 0.51 ± 0.2, 73.35 ± 2.69 nGyh-1 and 1.15 ± 0.01 respectively. The calculated annual effective dose, annual gonadal dose, and estimated life time cancer risk for soil samples were 0.13 ± 0.01 mSvy-1 ,512.78 ± 18.50 mSvy-1 , and 0.47 x 10-3 respectively. Frequency distribution and activity concentration of measured radionuclides for all sampling sites are presented. The geo statistical mapping was created to indicate the activity distribution in the studied area. On the basis of measured activity and calculated values of hazards indices, it is concluded that the surveyed area is not a major source of radiation hazards and do not pose any health problem.
Determination of Natural Radionuclides and Mineral Contents in Environmental Soil Samples
Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 2020
A study of natural radioactivity levels in environmental samples within the northern coastal region of Egypt and the Eastern Province-Khobar, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, has been evaluated. The samples were analyzed using gamma spectrometry based on HpGe detector. The mean activity concentrations of 238 U, 232 Th, 235 U, 40 K in addition to 137 Cs were 27.03 ± 6.74 Bq/ kg, 19.76 ± 0.92 Bq/kg, 0.83 ± 0.06 Bq/kg, 147.11 ± 1.69 Bq/kg and 0.09 ± 0.01 Bq/kg for the first region and 32.9 ± 6.65 Bq/ kg, 28.2 ± 0.78 Bq/kg, 1.10 ± 0.3 Bq/kg, 193.8 ± 1.55 Bq/kg and 0.1 ± 0.001 Bq/kg for the second region, respectively. The radiological hazard parameters such as the absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), gamma-ray hazard index (Iγ) and the annual gonadal dose equivalent of the studied samples were estimated. Also, the current work provided the mineralogical composition and the correlations between them and the distribution of radionuclides.
Natural radiation levels of gamma ray emitted from 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the beach sand of Ras Hankorab Area,South MarsaAlam City,Egypt have been carried out using the high purity germanium (HPGe) detector.Radiation hazard indices were calculated to estimate the radiological risk for the public and environment.The mean value of outdoor gamma absorbed dose rate (D out) for the studied areais 62nGy/h.Also the average value of annual outdoor effective dose (E out) for analyzed samples were measured and were lower than the acceptable values. The external radiation hazard indices were lower than unity for all samples.The outdoor excess life time cancer risk (ELCR out) and annual effective dose from radon (AED Rn)for all studied samples are lower than the allowed limits.The important minerals which are found in the studied area using XRD techniqueare;Ilmenite, Rutile, Magnetite, Ggeothite, Garnet, zircon, Sphene, monazite, Uranothorite, Xenotime, and Apatite, as well as fine fragments of feldspars and quartz. Trace elements were analyzed by XRF technique.Sothe beach sand in Ras Hankorab area is safe and not pose any significant source of radiation hazard to the population and the tourists.
Measurements of natural radionuclides in soil samples from Upper Egypt
Nuclear Science and Techniques, 2008
This paper presents the results of natural radioactivity measured for the soil of Qena using gamma-ray spectrometry at ZSR, Hanover University, Germany. Soil samples of radioactive concentrations of 238 U-series ( 234 Th, 214 Pb, and 214 Bi), 232 Th-series ( 228 Ac, 212 Pb, and 208 Tl) and 40 K were analyzed. Three objectives were set: (1) activity levels by surface soil sampling at 0~30 cm depth, (2) dose rates of gamma radiation, radium equivalent, index hazard, and effective dose, and (3) ambient dose rates.
Atom Indonesia, 2020
Natural radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in soil are the primary component of the background exposure sources of the population. Study of the external exposure due to gamma-ray radiation of natural radionuclides is important because this may contribute significantly to the total annual individual dose. The purpose of this study is to investigate the natural radionuclides in soils collected from Tual and Kei islands and assess the radiological hazard due to natural radionuclides contents in soil. The soil samples were analyzed for natural radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K using gamma ray spectrometry. Radiological hazard parameters were estimated from the activity concentration of these radionuclides in order to assess health implication of exposure of the general public. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in soil samples varied from 7.50 Bq kg-1 to 6326 Bq kg-1 , 0.99 Bq kg-1 to 157 Bq kg-1 , 2.97 kg-1 to 98.91 Bq kg-1 with the average value of 2162 Bq kg-1 ; 69.68 Bq kg-1 and 30.74 Bq kg-1 , respectively. The absorbed dose rates due to the presence of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, in soil samples in the studied area vary between the range of 4.88 nGy h-1 and 3018.80 nGy h-1 with the average value of 1042 nGy h-1. The corresponding outdoor annual effective doses ranged between 0.01 mSv y-1 and 3.70 mSv y-1 with the average value of 1.28 mSv y-1. Radium equivalent activities are calculated to be in the range of 10.42 Bq kg-1-6553.03 Bq kg-1 with the average value of 2264 Bq kg-1. The external and internal hazard indexes vary from 0.03 to 17.71 with the average value of 6.12 and 0.05 to 34.81 with the average value of 11.96, respectively. All calculated average radiological hazard indices were higher than the limits recommended for individual members of the public.