Measurement of radon and uranium concentrations in the dates and their seeds of different regions in karbala Governorate

Abstract EN

The radon (222Rn) and uranium (238U) concentration in dates (kistawi and zahdi brands) and their seeds were experimentally determined by using solid state nuclear track detectors CR-39.

Samples were collected from twelve sites in Karbala governorate of mid region in Iraq.

Heat drying method was used to concentrate the radioactive nuclides in measured samples.

Sealed-cup technique employed to measure 222Rn.

The results obtained have shown that the average radon gas concentration in kistawi dates samples was found to be 187.242 Bq / m3 while the average radon gas concentration was found 197.477 Bq / m3 in zahdi dates samples.

The average uranium concentration in kistawi dates samples was 1.439 ppm, while in zahdi dates samples it was 1.540 ppm.

We also found that the average value of radon concentrations in kistawi seeds samples was 199.242 Bq / m3 and in zahdi seeds samples was 205.348 Bq/m.

The average uranium concentration in kistawi seeds samples was about 1.509ppm, while in zahdi seeds samples it was about 1.578ppm.

The present results have shown that the radon gas concentration in all dates and their seeds samples is below the permissible limit from (International Commission of Radiation Protection) (ICRP) agency.