Assessment of radiological risk in the area around surface disposal at Al -Tuwaitha site

Abstract

The gamma dose rates and specific activity of 137Cs, 60Co and 40K in samples of soil taken from places near the landfill radiation at Al- Tuwaitha site were measured using a portable NaI(Tl) detector. The results of gamma dose rates in samples were ranged from 52.6 nGy.h-1 to 131nGy.h-1. Then the specific activity of 137Cs, 60Co and 40K in soil were determined using high pure germanium (HPGe) detector. The specific activities were varied from 1.9 to 115500 Bq. kg-1 for 137Cs, from 6.37 to 616.5 Bq. kg-1 for 60Co, and from 3 to 839.5 Bq. kg-1 for 40K. The corresponding health risk for the annual effective dose equivalent varied from 1.85×10-14 to 15.7mSv/y. The results were compared with various international recommendations.

Keywords

• 137Cs, 60Co and 40K, Annual Effective Dose Equivalent.