Title: Low natural terrestrial radioactivity in oil-derived lubricants

Authors: Hayam Ahmed Abdel Ghany

Addresses: Physics Department, College of Women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: Oil and gas production processing operations have been known to involve naturally occurring radioactive materials that lead to internal and external radiation hazards and thus a significant radiation dose to the workers. In this work, samples of nine oil lubricants used on a daily basis were collected from local suppliers in Egypt and analysed to determine their natural radioactivity. The activity concentrations of the radionuclides were measured using a coaxial Hyper Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector system, and derived doses were evaluated. The average activity concentrations obtained were 0.57 ± 0.04, 2.33 ± 0.39 and 5.44 ± 0.27 Bq kg−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The absorbed doses were very low ranging from 0.57 to 4.20 nGy h−1.

Keywords: natural radioactivity; oil lubricants; absorbed dose; low radiation; radioactive materials; radiation exposure; Egypt; radionuclides.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2011.046167

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2011 Vol.8 No.3, pp.232 - 240

Published online: 07 Feb 2015 *

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