Background radiation (NORM) and effective dose in some areas of Wadi Al-Haya قياس الخلفية الإشعاعية NORM) ( والجرعة المؤثرة في بعض مناطق وادي الحياة

Abstract

This study aimed to measure the radiological activity resulting from the naturally occurring radioactive materials in soil samples using a gamma spectrometer connected to a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The results revealed that the radiological activity of the naturally occurring radioactive materials (Ra-226, Th-232, K-40) in the soil samples showed a radium concentration ranging between 11.03 - 18.473 Bq/kg, with the highest concentration found in the Ubari sample and the lowest concentration in the Al-Abyad sample. The thorium concentration ranged from 7.84 - 16.13 Bq/kg, with the highest concentration in the Obari sample and the lowest in the Bent Beya sample. Meanwhile, the potassium concentration ranged from 97.77 Bq/kg in the Al-Abyad region to 238.7 Bq/kg in the Ubari region. The global average concentrations are 35 Bq/kg for radium Ra-226, 30 Bq/kg for thorium Th-232, and 400 Bq/kg for potassium K-40. Additionally, the results indicated that the radium equivalent concentration ranged between 38.49 - 46.229 Bq/kg. The internal hazard index varied between 0.150 and 0.327, with the highest value observed in the Ubari region and the lowest in the Bent Beya region. For the external hazard index, the highest value was found in the Obari region (0.277), while the lowest value was recorded in the Bent Beya region (0.105). Since these values are all below 1, in accordance with Radiation Protection Report No. 112, it can be concluded that all results fall within the globally accepted limits.