Natural radioactivity levels and radiological implications in the high natural radiation area of Wadi El Reddah, Egypt

Abstract

Wadi El Reddah, Egypt, is mostly enclosed by scattered exposure to the chronological sequence of a metavolcanic and metagabbro-diorite complex. There are radiological impacts due to internal and external exposure to the high natural background radiation caused by 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the Wadi El-Reddah stream sediments. 72 samples were collected and the activity concentration was measured using a NaI(Tl) gamma-spectroscopy system. The average activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K was 215 ± 118 Bq kg−1, 131 ± 90 Bq kg−1 and 822 ± 125 Bq kg−1, respectively. Most of the studied samples had a higher activity concentration than the world average.