Natural radioactivity in soil and water of Saudi Arabia: A mixed-studies review

Abstract

Keeping track of radiation levels within human-inhabited areas is imperative to prevent public exposure. The human body is subjected to out-of-control radiation doses of approximately 82%, resulting from radiation sources such as earthly, cosmic, and internal radiation exposure. One public health issue is the radionuclide contamination in water and soil. In this paper, an overview of radionuclides contamination for some selected radionuclides in waters and soils has been conducted in all Saudi regions to better understand the sources and status of contamination. This review shows certain radioactive elements, such as 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 40K, and 137Cs, in soil and water, which may have originated from natural or human-made sources. However, the available literature covers radionuclide levels in soil and water across all regions of Saudi Arabia, including the northern, southern, eastern, western, and central parts.