Studying the Radioactivity of Local and Imported Cars Oil in Baghdad Using High Purity Germanium Detector

Abstract

The radioactivity of fifteen cars oil samples were be studied in this research, eight of them are local collected from the fuel station in Baghdad, the remaining seven are imported from different origins collected from local markets of Baghdad. The specific activity of the detected radionuclides were be measured by the spectral analysis technique of gamma-ray using high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. It was also a calculation of radiation risk factors; and the specific effective activity (Aeff), which was calculated for the first time in this research. Eight radionuclides were be detected in this work, 226Ra, 214Pb and 214Bi which belong to the uranium-238 series and 212Pb, 208Tl and 228Ac which belong to Th-232 series in addition to 40K and 137Cs. The results shown that the radium equivalent activity (Raeq) were 1.73 -13.72 Bq/l, the absorbed gamma dose rate (Dˠ) were 0.82 -6.24 nG/h, the representative gamma index (Iγr) were 0.012-0.096, the indoor annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) in were 0.004 - 0.03m Sv/y, the outdoor annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) out were 0.002-0.037 mSv/y, and the internal hazard index (Hint) 0.009-0.052, the external hazard index (Hext) 00.5-0.037. Another factor has been calculated for the first time in this research it’s the specific effective activity (Aeff) which is ranged between 1.76 and 13.26 Bq/l. The obtained results were compared with the worldwide average; it was within the recommended values. That mean, oils used in automobile engines are safe, valid for consumption and does not pose a danger to society and the environment.