Determination of Radioactivity Concentration and Assessment of Absorbed Effective Dose of Edible Plant and Soil Samples

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Physics Department, Faculty of science,Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

Abstract

The aim of this study is the determination of radioactivity concentrations of naturally occurring of K-40, U-238, and Th-232 and assessment of annulling effective dose of edible plant and its soil samples. The activity concentrations in soil and plant samples were measured using Hp Ge-Detector and analyzed using Genie2000 software. The radium equivalent, annual absorbed effective dose, indoor, outdoor absorbed dose and hazard index (Hex, Hin and Iɣ) have been estimated for workers. The present study has shown that both the uptake and the activity concentrations of U-238 and Th-232 were significantly low in comparison to K-40 radionuclide in soil and edible plant samples. Interestingly, the results of this research have demonstrated that soil and plant samples that have been collected from Sharqia governorate are exhibited low activity concentration of radionuclides. Moreover, this decline in the activity concentration of radionuclides is under the worldwide values [1]. Taken together, our results of Radium equivalent, annual absorbed effective dose, indoor, outdoor absorbed dose and hazard index (Hex, Hin and Iɣ) provide compelling evidence that the soil has low U-238, Th-232, and K- 40 concentration. Thus, it is tempting to conclude that and it is safe for agriculture. Based on my data, it is tempting to conclude that no health risk for eating these edible plants.

Keywords