Estimation of Natural Radioactivity in Surface Soil Samples from Baghdad, Nahrain and Al-Mustansiriyah Universities Using Gamma- Ray Spectroscopy

Abstract

Abstract:
The study of natural radioactivity in public universities surface soil
sample is very important because of containing a large numbers of students
and personnel in small areas and for long periodic times, especially the
centers and gathering student's areas. So it was chosen the most important
Universities in Baghdad city according to the student's density, which is
Baghdad and Nahrain University in Al-Jadriyah region in addition to Al-
Mustansiriyah University in Palestine street region. Sixteen surface soil
samples collected from these regions to estimate the radiological impact to
the dweller, the concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K present in the soil
samples were analyzed using NaI(Tl) detector as Gamma-spectrometry.
The results showed that the averages radioactivity of 238U are (38.264,
24.785 and 10.291) Bq/kg, for 232Th are equal to (32.498, 21.933 and
8.147) Bq/kg and for 40K are (268.543, 394.397 and 216.558) Bq/kg for
Baghdad, Nahrain and Al-Mustansiriyah Universities respectively. Thus,
the values of specific activity of 238U, 232Th and 40K for all soil samples are
in the ranges of the worldwide average. The maximum value for Raeq is
(119.727 Bq/kg) recorded in the College of Physical Education - Baghdad
University (sample B2), with an average value of all soil samples (76.535
Bq/kg), which below the global and European permissibility limit (370 and
247) Bq/kg respectively. In addition to radium equivalent, the absorbed
gamma dose rate (D ), outdoor annual effective dose and hazard indices
(internal and external) are calculated in this work and show low values
compared with permissible limits.
Keywords: Natural activity, Environment, Gamma spectroscopy.