Assessment of Radioactivity of Some Samples of Healthy Drinking Water and Liquefied Water in Some Areas of the Capital Baghdad  Using HPGE Detector System

Authors

  • Ammar A. Alrawi Department of Forensic Sciences, College of Science, Al-Nahrain University, Jadiriyah, Baghdad, Iraq
  • Essam M. Rasheed Department of Physics, College of Science, Al-Nahrain University, Jadiriyah, Baghdad, Iraq
  • Kareem K. Mohammad Al-Nahrain Renewable Energy Research Center, Al-Nahrain University, Jadiriyah, Baghdad, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22401/wjx2wx58

Keywords:

HPGE detector , Radionuclides, Water , Mineral water , Natural radioactivity

Abstract

In this work, a total of 20 water samples were collected from various locations inside the city of Baghdad. Each sample consists of a volume of 1 litre of water which had been obtained from multiple geographical locations. There were twelve water samples representing pure tap water sourced from various locations additionally, eight samples of mineral water were obtained from several marketplaces in Baghdad. A total of six radionuclides were detected in the water samples using the HPGe detector. These radionuclides were identified as Bi 214, Ra 226, TI 208, Bi 212, Pb 212, and K 40. Among these, Bi 214 and Ra 226 are part of the U-238 series, while TI 208, Bi 212, and Pb 212 belong to the Th 232 series. Additionally, K 40 is a naturally occurring radionuclide. The observed minimum value for the average specific activity of radionuclides in pure tap water samples was Al-Yarmouk Pure tap water. However, the sample Hay Al-qahira pure tap water exhibited the highest recorded specific activity values of radionuclides in pure tap water. The observed minimum value for the average specific activity of radionuclides in mineral water samples was Bardaa mineral water. However, the sample (W15) exhibited the highest recorded values for the specific activity of radionuclides in mineral water. The measured external dosage of natural radioactivity in water samples from Baghdad was found to be relatively low, at 0.366 mSv.y-1. This value falls below the recommended limit the United Nations Scientific Committee set on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), 1 mSv.y-1.

References

Alashrah, S.; El-Taher, A.; “Gamma Spectroscopic Analysis and Associated Radiation Hazards Parameters of Cement Used in Saudi Arabia”. J. Environ. Sci. Technol., 92: 228-245, 2016.

Flores, O.B.; Estrada, A.M.; Suarez, R.R.; Zerquera, J.T.; Pe´rez, A.H.; “Natural radionuclide content in building materials and gamma dose rate in dwellings in Cuba”. Environ. Radioactivity, 1834-1837, 2008.

Adagunodo, T.A., Hammed, O.S., Usikalu, M.R., Ayara, W.A., Ravisankar, R.; “Data sets on the radiometric survey over a Kaolinitic Terrain in Dahomey Basin”. Nigeria,18814-822, 2018.

Yasir, M.; Ab-Majid, A.; Yahaya, R.; “Study of natural radionuclides and its radiation hazard index in Malaysian building materials”, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 273(3): 1-3, 2007.

Neamah, M.; Rasheed, E.M.; Tawfiq, N.F.; “Optical properties of CR-39 detector irradiated with gamma-rays and (He-Ne) laser”. J. Al-Nahrain Univ. Sci., 20(3): 77-82, 2017.

Al-Alawyand, I.T.; Salim, M.D.; “Iraq Natural Radioactivity in Selected Soil Samples from the Archaeological of Ur City in Dhi-Qar Province, Iraq”. Int. Lett. Chem. Phys. Astron. 60: 74-82, 2015.

Usikalu, M.R.; Fuwape, I.A.; Jatto, S.S.; Awe, O.F.; Rabiu, A.B.; Achuka, J.A.; “Assessment of radiological parameters of soil in Kogi State, Nigeria”. Environ. Forensics, 18(1): 1–14, 2017.

Chuong, H.D.; Le, N.T.M.; Tam, H. D.; “Semi-empirical Method for Determining the Density of Liquids Using a NaI(Tl) Scintillation Detector”. Appl. Rad. Isotop. 152: 109-114, 2019.

Jassim, A.Z.; Al-Gazaly, H.H.; Abojassim, A.A.; “Natural Radioactivity Levels in Soil Samples for Some Locations of Missan Government, Iraq". J. Environ. Sci. Poll. Res. 2(1): 39- 41, 2016.

Sang, T.T.; Chuong, H.D.; Tam, H.D.; “Simple procedure for optimizing model of NaI (Tl) detector using Monte Carlo simulation”. J. Radio. Nucl. Chem. 322: 1039–1048, 2019.

Magdalena, M.; Jonathan, L.; Steven, B.; Irene, J.; Susan P.; Jorg, K.; Alan, S.; Alexander, C.; Donatella, Z.; “Impact of fertiliser, water table, and warming on celery yield and CO2 and CH4 emissions from fenland agricultural peat”. Sci. Tot. Environ. 667: 179-190, 2019.

El-Taher, A.; Madkour, H.; “Environmental studies and Radio-Ecological Impacts of Anthropogenic areas: Shaltogetherow Marine Sediments Red Sea, Egypt”. J. Iso. Environ. Health Stud., 50: 120 -133, 2014.

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. UNSCEAR report to the general assembly with scientific annexes. Sources and effects of ionizing radiation. United Nations, New York, 2000.

Downloads

Published

2024-03-15

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

(1)
Assessment of Radioactivity of Some Samples of Healthy Drinking Water and Liquefied Water in Some Areas of the Capital Baghdad  Using HPGE Detector System. ANJS 2024, 27 (1), 136-142. https://doi.org/10.22401/wjx2wx58.