A Comparative Study of the Radiological Hazard in Sediments Samples from Drinking Water Purification Plants Supplied From Different Sources

The natural radiation level has been determined for 135 sediment samples from forty-six drinking water purification plants supplied from different sources (Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal) with an aim of evaluating the radiation hazard. The concentration of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) has been investigated by using gamma spectrometry (NaI (Tl) 3″x 3″) detector. The results showed that the concentrations of average activity in the sediment samples collected from drinking water purification plants supplied from Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal are (29±2, 30±2 and 240±8 Bq kg-1), (47±3, 46±8 and 258±12 Bq kg-1) and (28±2, 27±3 and 219±18 Bq kg-1) for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. In general, the distributions of average activity concentrations of samples under investigation are within the world values although some extreme values have been determined. Radiological hazard effects such as: absorbed dose rate (D), outdoor and indoor annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), radium equivalent activities (Raeq), hazard indices (Hex and Hin), gamma index (Iγ), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) for the corresponding samples were also estimated

A Comparative Study of the Radiological Hazard in Sediments Samples from Drinking Water Purification Plants Supplied From Different Sources

The natural radiation level has been determined for 135 sediment samples from forty-six drinking water purification plants supplied from different sources (Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal) with an aim of evaluating the radiation hazard. The concentration of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) has been investigated byusing gamma spectrometry (NaI (Tl) 3″x 3″) detector. The results showed that the concentrations of average activity in the sediment samples collected from drinking water purification plants supplied from Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal are (29±2, 30±2 and 240±8 Bq kg-1), (47±3, 46±8 and 258±12 Bq kg-1) and (28±2, 27±3 and 219±18 Bq kg-1) for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. In general, the distributions of average activity concentrations of samples underinvestigation are within the world values although some extreme values have been determined. Radiological hazard effects such as: absorbed dose rate (D), outdoor and indoor annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), radium equivalent activities (Raeq), hazard indices (Hex and Hin), gamma index (Iγ), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and annual gonadal doseequivalent (AGDE) for the corresponding samples were also estimated.Key words: Drinking water purification plants, Sediment, Radiological hazard indice

Measurement of natural radioactivity in granites and its quartz-bearing gold at El-Fawakhir area (Central Eastern Desert), Egypt

The distribution of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) in Granites and its quartz-bearing gold at El-Fawakhir area (Central Eastern Desert, Egypt) were measured by using γ-ray spectroscopy [NaI (Tl) 3″ × 3″]. X-Ray Fluorescence technique was used for chemical analyses of the studied samples. The specific activity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K values are in range (3 ± 0.5 to 43 ± 2 Bqkg−1), (5 ± 0.7 to 41 ± 2 Bqkg−1) and (128 ± 6 to 682 ± 35 Bqkg−1) respectively. The absorbed dose rates ranged from 13.8 to 58.4 nGy h−1, where the total effective dose rates were determined to be between 16.7 and 70.9 μSvy−1. The maximum external hazard index (Hex) is 0.3 nGyh−1. The calculated values of the excess lifetime cancer risks (ELCR) and annual effective dose rate values are in between (8.48 × 10−5 and 2.63 × 10−4) and (24.2 and 72.9 μSvy−1) respectively. Geochemically, the studied granites consist of major oxides, they are characterized by SiO2, K2O, Na2O, Al2O3, and depleted in CaO, MgO, TiO2, and P2O5. The average absorbed dose rate (Do) in air is 37.8 nGyh−1 for the whole studied samples, this value is about 3.78% of the 1.0 mSvy−1 recommended by (ICRP-60,1991) to the public, so there is no radiological risk for the workers in that area

Photon parameters for gamma-rays sensing properties of some oxide of lanthanides

In the present research work, the mass attenuation coefficients (μm) representing the interaction of gamma photons with some oxide of lanthanides (Lu2O3Yb2O3, Er2O3, Sm2O3, Dy2O3, Eu2O3, Nd2O3, Pr6O11, La2O3 and Ce2O3) were investigated using WinXCom software in the wide energy range of 1 keV–100 GeV. The calculated values of μm afterwards were used to evaluate some gamma rays sensing properties as effective atomic effective atomic numbers (Zeff), effective electron densities (Nel), half value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP). The computed data observes that, the Lu2O3 shown excellent γ-rays sensing response in the broad energy range. At the absorption edges of the high elements present in the lanthanide compounds, more than a single value of Zeff were found due to the non-uniform variation of µm. Comparisons with experiments wherever possible have been achieved for the calculated µm and Zeff values. The calculated properties are beneficial expanded use of designing in radiation shielding, gas sensors, glass coloring agent and in electronic sensing devices. Keywords: Oxide of lanthanides, Gamma ray sensors, Effective atomic numbers, Half value laye

Comparison of Monte Carlo simulation of gamma ray attenuation coefficients of amino acids with XCOM program and experimental data

The mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ), effective atomic numbers (Zeff) and electron densities (Ne) of some amino acids obtained experimentally by the other researchers have been calculated using MCNP5 simulations in the energy range 0.122–1.330 MeV. The simulated values of μ/ρ, Zeff, and Ne were compared with the previous experimental work for the amino acids samples and a good agreement was noticed. Moreover, the values of mean free path (MFP) for the samples were calculated using MCNP5 program and compared with the theoretical results obtained by XCOM. The investigation of μ/ρ, Zeff, Ne and MFP values of amino acids using MCNP5 simulations at various photon energies when compared with the XCOM values and previous experimental data for the amino acids samples revealed that MCNP5 code provides accurate photon interaction parameters for amino acids. Keywords: Amino acids, MCNP5 simulations, XCOM program, Radiation propertie