Page 131 - AJWEP-v22i2

Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 22, No. 2 (2025), pp. 125-139.
doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025060032

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Natural radioactivity and radiation risks of soils in Ali
Al-Sharqi and Kumait, Iraq

Zahraa A. Ismail AL-Sudani * , Sawsan Sherif , and Mazin Mohammed 3
1
2
1 Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Misan, Misan, Iraq
2 Department of Physics, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
3 Radiation Protection Center, Ministry of Environment, Baghdad, Iraq
*Corresponding author: Zahraa A. Ismail AL-Sudani (zahraaismail@uomisan.edu.iq)

Received: February 3, 2025; 1st revised: March 10, 2025; 2nd revised: March 23, 2025; 3rd revised: March 30, 2025;
Accepted: March 31, 2025; Published online: April 16, 2025

Abstract: Humans are subjected to natural radiation from external sources, such as radionuclides on Earth and
cosmic radiation, as well as internal radiation from radionuclides integrated into the body. Radionuclide intake
occurs mostly through the ingestion of food and water, as well as inhalation. The natural radioactivity in the
soils of Ali Al-Sharqi and Kumait, two cities in Misan province, Iraq, were measured. The soil samples were
collected from 47 Ali Al-Sharqi and Kumait areas, and levels of natural radionuclide were analyzed using a high-
purity germanium detector. The average activity concentrations of radionuclides, radium-226, thorium-232, and
potassium-40, were found to be 15.1 ± 2.5, 14.7 ± 2.4, and 180.8 ± 7.9 Bq/kg, respectively, for Ali Al-Sharqi. In
Kumait, the corresponding values were 13.6 ± 2.1, 17.2 ± 2.4, and 193.6 ± 8.6 Bq/kg, respectively. Radiation risk
parameters were also evaluated for both cities. The average radium equivalent activities for Ali Al-Sharqi and
Kumait were 50.2 Bq/kg and 53.2 Bq/kg, respectively. Internal and external hazard indices were 0.2 and 0.1, while
the gamma level index was 0.2 in both cities. In Ali Al-Sharqi, the absorbed gamma dose rates in the air (D , D ,
out
in
and D ) were 44.8, 23.5, and 68.3 nGy/h, the annual effective dose equivalents (AEDE , AEDE , and AEDE )
tot
tot
out
in
were 0.2, 0.02, and 0.2 mSv/y, the excess lifetime cancer risks (ELCR , ELCR , and ELCR ) were 0.8 × 10 ,
−3
tot
in
out
0.1 × 10 , and 0.9 × 10 , and the annual gonadal dose equivalent was 165.3 µSv/y. In Kumait, the corresponding
−3
−3
values were 47.2, 24.8, and 72 nGy/h, 0.2, 0.03, and 0.3 mSv/y, 0.8 × 10 , 0.1 × 10 , and 0.9 × 10 , and 175 µSv/y,
−3
−3
−3
respectively. These findings indicate that the measured levels of radioactivity and health hazard parameters in both
cities were below the global average values reported by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of
Atomic Radiation. Therefore, the natural radioactivity in the soils of the investigated areas does not pose a health
risk to the public.
Keywords: Soil; Radionuclides; High-purity germanium; Dose rate; Ali Al-Sharqi.
1. Introduction and nuclear accidents. Cosmic radiation, which comes
1
from cosmic rays, varies in intensity based on latitude
Radiation in the environment originates from two and elevation. Natural terrestrial radiation in the Earth’s
sources: natural and artificial. Natural radiation crust is primarily caused by the decay of uranium-238,
includes both cosmic and terrestrial components, while thorium-232 ( Th), and potassium-40 ( K). The
232
40
artificial radiation arises from nuclear weapon testing concentration of natural radioactive materials in the soils
Volume 22 Issue 2 (2025) 125 doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025060032