Levels of radioactivity emitted from some military wastes and urban soils at Basra City, Southern Iraq

Abstract EN

This study was conducted and measurements have been carried out during 2009.

It is aims to detect the levels of radioactivity emitted from some military wastes and scraps as well as soils from different sites at Basra city, Southern Iraq.

Some destroyed targets, during the 2003 conflict, have been measured, in the field, by using a portable detector of LB-1200 type, while destroyed and undestroyed sites of soil samples have been measured, in the laboratory, by using detector Fluke victoreen type.

The results have shown that radioactive emissions from destroyed military targets were high, which ranged from a minimum value of 0.11-0.13mr/h, to a maximum value of 13-14.5mr/h.

While in undestroyed soil samples, the average concentration varied from a minimum value of 0.015mr / h, to a maximum value of 0.027mr / h.

It was concluded that the average concentration of destroyed soil samples is higher than undestroyed samples which was reached to 0.6mr / h.

By comparison with the background radiation level (0.008-0.011mr / h), the recorded values were higher.

Despite there were some spots contaminated with radiation, but there are no acute radioactive contamination in Basra soil, except for limited spots.