Activity concentration and radiometric hazards in meat and bone cow samples from Karbala governorate

Abstract

All living organisms are exposed to natural radiation in the air, water, and soil. Since the radiation is transmitted through the water to the plant that is irrigated with it, or through the soil in which it is grown, or both of them, as well as from the plants to the animals, and from the plants and animals to the human since humens are meat consumers,we studied beef natural radioactivity in local and imported cow product samples (meat, bones, and internal organs) has been measured. Samples are collected from different markets and regions of Karbala governorate. The study was carried out using a gamma ray spectrometer (NaI (Tl)) with a crystal detector of 3"x3" to measure the specific activity of the radionuclides as well as the calculation of radiation hazard indices. Three natural radionuclides; k-40, Bi-214(U-238), and Ti-208(Th-232) have been detected in the studied samples with various specific activities mean values of 10.757±2.98, 4.141±1.14, and 1.120±0.31 Bq/Kg respectively. Several hazard indices have been calculated also depending on the specific activities measured in each sample; radium equivalent activity (Raeq), internal hazard index (Hin), gamma index (Iγ), alpha index (Iα), absorbed dose rate (Dγ), annual effective dose (Eff dose), and annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE). All of them results are less than the recommended values given by (UNSCEAR, 2000).