Transfer factors of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K from fertilised soil to different types of field crops in Tikrit city, Iraq
by Laith Ahmed Najam; Imad Ahmed; Rabee B. Alkhayat; Taha Yaseen Wais
International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (IJNEST), Vol. 16, No. 1, 2022

Abstract: Natural radionuclide activity concentrations in fertilised soil and field crops, as well as the transfer factor from fertilised soil to field crops, were measured. The measurements were carried out using gamma ray spectroscopy with a Nal(TI) detector. The geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) for soil-to-crop transfer factors for each study site were 0.57(1.37), 0.41(1.53) and 0.41(1.51) for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K, respectively. The geometric mean transfer factor of ²³²Th in the present study is 19 times higher than the world mean value, whereas the geometric mean transfer factors of ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K are less. The results show that the fertilised soil samples and field crops pose no radioactive risk and that there are no immediate health risks associated with the use of these samples in the areas under investigation. Furthermore, there was no correlation between ²³²Th and ²²⁶Ra concentrations, possibly because these radionuclides are transported differently in soil.

Online publication date: Mon, 13-Feb-2023

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