Author : Adel Mehdi Saleh, Asia H. Al-Mashhadani and Murtdha Adhab Siyah

A study of the radioactivity in soil from Al-Sader city in Baghdad, Iraq, has been carried out. Thirty soil samples were collected at 0.5meter below ground level; they were analyzed by γ-ray spectroscopy to determine the 226Ra, 232Th and 40K concentrations. The activity concentration values range were 4.120-44.86Bqkg-1, ND-11.95Bqkg-1 and 2.820-709.52 Bqkg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K respectively. Radium Equivalent activity was calculated and it was range from 30.973Bqkg-1 to 434.60Bqkg-1. The absorbed dose rate in air was also calculated for the samples and its range from 15.720nGyh-1 to 64.065nGyh-1. The outdoor annual effective doses ranged from 0.0193mSv to 0.0786mSv with an average value of 0.0533mSv and the indoor annual effective doses ranged from 0.0771mSv to 0.3143mSv with an average value 0.2131mSv for one year. The radiation hazard indices of soil samples were also calculated, the results showed that the average values of either radionuclides concentration or radiation hazard indices of all soil samples under study were in the internationally permissible range. The excess lifetime cancer risk was calculated using the risk factors of International Commission on Radiological Protection and Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation. Thus, the values obtained when compared with their corresponding world permissible values, were found to be below the standard limits. The results from models that have been detected and put them in the calculations refer that the soil of Al-Sader city is safe.

Keywords: Excess lifetime cancer risk, Hazard indices, Al-Sader city

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.4,No.4 (Aug- 2014)