Radiological Investigation of High Background Radiation Areas

Fawzia Mubarak,N A Mansour,M Fayez-Hassan,Abdallah Ali,Talaat Salah Ahmed

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-15201-2

Fawzia Mubarak, N A Mansour + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15201-2

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Nov 9, 2017
Citations: 36	License type: open-access

Affiliation: Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority

Abstract

In this paper, we used the Hyper-Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector to measure 30 samples which are collected from north of Nile Delta near Rosetta beach in Egypt. The activity of primordial radionuclides, such as 238U, 235U, 232Th, and 40K was estimated. Concentrations ranged between 36.5–177.4, 50–397.5 and 56.1–168.9 Bq.kg−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K respectively. Activity concentration of 235U and the variation in uranium isotopic ratio 235U/238U was calculated. External hazard indices (Hex) (or radium equivalent activity Raeq), activity concentration indices (I), alpha index (Iα), absorbed outdoor gamma dose rate (Dout), effective outdoor gamma dose rate (Eout) and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) due to different samples are estimated. External hazard indices (Hex) are ranged between 0.32–2.04, radium equivalent activity (Raeq) are ranged between 118.67–753.91, the activity concentration indices (I) are 0.42–2.61, and alpha index (Iα) are 0.18–0.89. External hazard indices (Hex) in some samples more than unity then it exceeds the upper limit of exposure. Also, the radium equivalent activities (Raeq) are higher than the exemption limits (370 Bq.kg−1).

Highlights

Radiation AreasFawzia Mubarak[1], M
External hazard indices (Hex) were ranged between 0.32 and 2.04, radium equivalent activity (Raeq) were ranged between 118.67 to 753.91, activity concentration indices (I) were 0.42–2.61, and alpha index (Iα) were 0.18 to 0.89. These results show that some locations lead to over-exposure, for example, external hazard indices (Hex) in some samples are found to be more than unity it exceeds the upper limit of exposure, Fig. (9)
Figure (12) shows the outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate (Dout). It was ranged between 55.51 to 345.95 with an average of 186 nGy.h−1 which leads to effective outdoor gamma dose rate (Eout) ranged between 0.07 to 0.42 with an average of 0.23 mSvyr−1 which represented more than 3 times higher than the world’s average of 0.07 mSv. yr−1

Summary

Introduction

Radiation AreasFawzia Mubarak[1], M. The activity of primordial radionuclides, such as 238U, 235U, 232Th, and 40K was estimated. Activity concentration of 235U and the variation in uranium isotopic ratio 235U/238U was calculated. External hazard indices (Hex) (or radium equivalent activity Raeq), activity concentration indices (I), alpha index (Iα), absorbed outdoor gamma dose rate (Dout), effective outdoor gamma dose rate (Eout) and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) due to different samples are estimated. External hazard indices (Hex) are ranged between 0.32–2.04, radium equivalent activity (Raeq) are ranged between 118.67–753.91, the activity concentration indices (I) are 0.42–2.61, and alpha index (Iα) are 0.18–0.89. External hazard indices (Hex) in some samples more than unity it exceeds the upper limit of exposure. The radium equivalent activities (Raeq) are higher than the exemption limits (370 Bq.kg−1)

Methods

Results

Conclusion