Activités de l’uranium et du radium dans des échantillons d’eau naturelle au Sahara marocain

Abstract

Measure of uranium and radium activities in some natural water

samples from Moroccan Sahara

The preliminary results of

²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁸Th activities and of ²³⁴U/²³⁸U,²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Th/²²⁸Ra and ²²⁶Ra/²³⁸U activity ratios obtained for 8 wells, 5 drillings, 2 springs and 3 tap water samples collected in Laayoune and Es-Smara regions in the Moroccan Sahara are given in this work. The analyzed natural water samples have been  collected from sources situated in a desert region rich in phosphates. Except for the one water drilling sample no used by population, the calculation of  equivalent doses to the maximal activities for each isotope show that all measured activities are inferior to the maximum contaminant levels recommended by the International Commission of Radioprotection and they don't present any risk for population health. The obtained results are comparable to those already found in other regions in Morocco or in the world.