Elemental and radioactivity assessment in some environmental samples in south eastern desert of Egypt

الملخص EN

Natural radioactivity levels for eighteen samples from Abu Rusheid Area in South Eastern desert of Egypt have been carried out.

The concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K were measured by low background spectroscopy using hyper-pure germanium (HPGe) detector.

The mean activities due to 238U (226Ra), 232Th and 40K radionuclides were found to be 2384 ± 106, 1240 ±6.6 and 819 ± 53 Bq/kg, respectively.

The absorbed dose rates due to the natural radioactivity in samples under investigation ranged from 1522±45 to 1796±53 nGy/h which is higher than the permissible limit.

The radium equivalent activity varied from 3807±114 to 4446±133 Bq/kg.

Also, the representative external hazard index values were estimated.

The samples were completely described regarding their general chemical features by using x-ray fluorescence.

From the study, it is found that all the samples contain considerable strategic elements concentrations such as Barium, Zinc and Niobium.