Natural and Artificial Radionuclides Distribution in Surface Soil in Baghdad International Airport Region

Abstract

This is the first time that radiological assessment achieved in the Baghdad International Airport (BIA) in Iraq. Twenty-three sites were sampled from upper 5 cm of the surface soil within the BIA to be analyzed for the radioactivity of natural radionuclides Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 and the artificial radionuclide, Cs-137 using gamma spectroscopy based on Hyper pure Germanium detector (HPGe). Ten samples out of the 23 samples were analyzed for U-238, U-235 using the Neutron Activation Analysis method. To determine the percentage of DU [DU (%)] which is calculated from the 235U/238U isotope ratio. The study showed that there is a possibility of slight contamination with depleted uranium in two sites out of the 23 sites that were examined. The average activities of Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40 in the study area are within the limits of world averages, while there are evidences that new feeding of Cs-137 in the region, reaches about 19 Bq/kg, from the new global fallout after Chernobyl accident. The measured and calculated absorbed doses in the study area were within international limits and no need for farther monitoring. Annual effective dose equivalent due to resuspension of Ra-226 is estimated to be 1.0E-10Sv, and this value is negligible compared with 1 mSv permissible value for public recommended by ICRP.