Measurement of radon gas concentrations in soil gas at AL-Najaf refinery, Al-Najaf province, west of Iraq by using CR-39 detector: cup technique

الملخص EN

In this study, CR-39 detectors (cup technique) were used to measure radon gas concentrations in the soil gas for fifty samples collected from different positions at Al-Najaf refinery, where the study area (Al-Najaf refinery) was divided into four sector to achieve a comprehensive study for the area, the resuts showed that radon gas concentrations in the soil gas ranges between (39 F 186 Bq/m³ - 7341 857 Bq/m³) with an average (1342 F 123 Bq/m³), and the Annual Effective Dose for the public due to inhalation of radon gas near the soil in the outdoor air for lung tissue lies between (0.019 mSv/y - 3.608 mSv/y), this study also involved a theorotical estimations for radium content in the soil, uranium concentration in the soil, radon concentration near the soil, area exhalation rate for radon gas from the soil and mass exhalation rate for radon gas from the soil.

All the results were within the accepted limit recommended by WHO and ICRP for the Annual Affective Dose due to outdoor inhalation of radon gas, as a result, there is no any health risk for the workers of the refinery due to inhalation of radon gas at outdoor air.