Detection of Types and Contents of Natural Radionuclides and Hazard Indexes in Vegetable and Soil Samples at Some Al-Marj City Locations

• Hamad Hasan

  Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Libya

  Author

• Enaam Mohamed

  Chemistry Department, Faculty of Education (Al-Marj), Benghazi University, Libya

  Author

• Adel Abdulathim

  Medical Technology Department, Higher Institute of Science and Technology, Cyrene, Libya

  Author

The aim of this study is to evaluate the natural radioactivity concentrations of naturally occurring in the environment associated with the26Ra 238U and 232Th decay chains and the long lived natural occurring radionuclide 40K in vegetables and soil samples. The samples were collected from different locations around Al MARJ region (north eastern side of Libya) to elevate natural radioactivity. The analysis of the samples was done by using Sodium iodide detectors. The analysis demonstrates that the measured activity concentrations for the soil samples of 226Ra, 238U, 232Th and 40K were (60.47 to35.37), (51.31 to 37.29), (68.94 to 28.43) and (271.36 to 53.72) Bq/Kg, respectively.  While the average activity concentrations for vegetable samples of 226Ra, 238U, 232Th and 40K were (86.06 to 32.37), (91.85 to 38.87), (114.26 to 60.60) and (280.41 to 66.92) Bq/kg, respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq) in the soil and vegetable samples was calculated, the results recorded that the values were ranged between 132.79 to 87.13 Bq/kg, and 227.18 to 124.19 Bq/kg respectively.  The values of external hazard index, gamma radiation level index (Iγ), I- alpha (Iα) are close to unity for all samples was investigated. The absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose and cancer risk factor were determined for all samples. The study concluded that the highest activity concentration in soil and vegetable samples are higher than the worldwide average as reported by the UNSCEAR.

• pdf