The impact of the oil and gas industry on TENORM of the desert sands in Ma’rib, central Yemen

الملخص EN

A measurement of technologically enhanced natural occurring radioactivity materials (TENORM) in sand samples in the petroleum-producing communities of Ma'rib Province Yemen was carried out.

The HPGe detector was utilized to perform the measurements.

The samples were collected from 35 sites.

All samples were placed in a properly cleaned container and sealed for 28 days to attain a state of secular radioactive equilibrium before analysis.

The radioactivity concentrations for nuclides 40K, 232Th, 226Ra, and 238U ranged between 430.716 - 654.666, 4.347 - 43.935, 4.824 - 27.936, and 1.083 - 15.437 Bq kg-1 respectively, with averages 560.583, 20.676, 14.556 and 9.072 Bq kg-1 respectively.

The results did not show any radiation risks.