Evaluation of radiological hazards in lower zab river sediments

Abstract

In this study, the activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides in 18 sediment samples were investigated from Iraq’s Upper and Lower Dukan Dam using the high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector as a gamma-ray spectrometry technique. The results revealed that the values of the activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs sediment ranged from (2.85–24.60 Bq kg−1), (1.27–7.56 Bq kg−1), (42.14–346.60 Bq kg−1), and (0.14–3.62 Bq kg−1), respectively. The radiological risk parameters such as radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent, and external hazard index were determined and found to be 30.98 Bq kg−1, 14.97 nGy h−1, 29.62 nGy h−1, 0.019 mSv y−1, 0.153 mSv y−1, 0.08, and 0.11, respectively. The observed mean values were comparable to internationally recommended values. The field dose rates were measured using the RIIDEye Handheld Radiation Isotope Identifier, and the range was 23.5 nsv h−1–80.6 nsv h−1. The data obtained in this study can be used as a baseline for future investigations of radioactivity background in the investigated area.