Title: Evaluation of environmental radioactivity impacts and its associated radiological hazards with monitoring of radon-222 in rock and sand samples collected from some mountains and valleys in Sinai Area, Egypt

Authors: S. Fares

Addresses: Department of Radiation Physics, National Centre of Radiation Research and Technology NCRRT, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Determination of the natural radionuclide contents of soil and rock samples collected from some mountains and valleys in Sinai, Egypt, has been carried out using gamma spectrometric techniques. The total average concentrations of radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K were (51.37, 50.02, 19.34, and 286.66 Bq/kg), respectively. The total average absorbed dose rate in the study areas is found to be 47.08 nGy/h, whereas the indoor and outdoor annual effective dose equivalent has an average value of 0.23 and 0.06 mSv/y respectively. The range of ²²⁶Ra activity was found from 11.15 ± 0.96 Bq/kg to 135.85 ± 11.68 Bq/kg. The results of the present study are discussed and compared with internationally recommended values. The concentrations of radon gas in the air were determined as well as the activity concentrations of ²²²Rn in vegetables. In the present study some mathematical equations models are used to estimate the activity concentrations of ²²²Rn in the air.

Keywords: radioactivity concentration; absorbed dose; activity concentrations of ²²²Rn in the air and soil; gamma spectrometer; external and internal hazard indices; radium equivalent activity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2017.087634

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2017 Vol.10 No.4, pp.266 - 284

Received: 11 Dec 2015
Accepted: 29 Aug 2016
Published online: 30 Oct 2017 *

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