Measurement of the radioactivity of 238U, 232TH and 40K in beans and lentils available in Iraqi markets using a detector NaI(Tl)

Ahmed Sami Mohammed; Riyadh Mnade  Ramadhan

doi:10.71229/h72kye02

Authors

Ahmed Sami Mohammed Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Basra, Basra, Iraq
Riyadh Mnade Ramadhan Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Basra, Basra, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71229/h72kye02

Keywords:

Radioactivity,, NaI(Tl) detector, , Radiation exposure limits, , beans and lentils, , gamma spectrometry

Abstract

The Thallium-doped sodium iodide NaI(Tl) detector 3×3 crystal-size was used to detect the radioactivity of ²³²TH, ²³⁸U, and ⁴⁰K isotopes in 15 samples of beans and lentils. The energy used for their detection was 911.2 kev for (²²⁸Ac) for thorium concentration, 1460.82 kev for potassium, and 1764.52 kev for (²¹⁴Bi) for uranium The highest thorium concentration in lentils was found to be (7.985 Bq/kg) and in beans (10.631 Bq/kg) with an average value of (3.674 Bq/kg) and (7.985 Bq/kg) for the lentil samples, while the potassium concentration was (256.077 Bq/kg) in lentils with an average value of (163.58 Bq/kg) and (262.501 Bq/kg) in beans with an average value of (227.148 Bq/kg). The radioactivity concentration of uranium was (19.096 Bq/kg) in lentils and the average values were (6.076 Bq/kg) and (7.366 Bq/kg) in beans with an average value of (2.859 Bq/kg). The radium equivalent was also measured and found to be (46.782 Bq/kg) in lentils and the average was (29.27 Bq/kg) and (32.405 Bq/kg) in beans and the average values were (25.253 Bq/kg). Other hazard indicators, such, absorbed dose rate of air, annual effective dose equivalent, gamma ray ideal levels index, internal and external risk indices, and excess life time cancer risk, and all results were within permissible limits and do not pose a risk to human health.

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