Natural radioelement concentrations in the soil of the Mila region of Algeria

Abstract

In this study, the levels of the natural and artificial radioactivity in soil samples collected at various depths from Algerian agricultural region El-Athmania Mila was measured. Activity concentrations of the concerned radionuclides were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using a high-purity germanium detector. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found unchanged as a function of depth and ranged from 23.72±2.37to 65.47±5.06 Bq.kg−1 for 226Ra, from 26.45±0.78 to 27.10±0.80 Bq.kg−1 for 232Th and from 220.80±10.01 to 260.70±8.24 Bq.kg−1 for 40K respectively. To evaluate the radiological hazard of radioactivity in samples, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the absorbed dose rate (D), the annual effective dose and the external (Hex) and internal hazard indices (Hin) were calculated. The mean of the excess lifetime cancer risk observed in this study are under the world's mean values.