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Abstracto

Natural radioactivity in soil at regions around the uranium mine in Abu-Skhair Najaf Province, Iraq

Hussain H. Al. Gazaly, Mahdi A. Bahr a-Ulum, 1Ali A. A. Hamidawi and 2Abdolzahra M. A. Abbasi

The specific activity of 238U, 232Th and 40K was determined in 60 soil samples were collected from sites around the uranium mine in the Abu - Skhair in Najaf province, Iraq. The samples were determined using NaI(Tl) gamma ray spectrometry system. Mean values for 238U, 232Th and 40K specific activity were found to be (77.33±5.85) Bq/ kg, (9.36 ± 0.97) Bq/kg, and (426.31 ± 21.35) Bq/kg respectively. The study also examined radium equivalent Raeq associated with the natural radionuclides for 60 soil samples with an average of 123.54 ± 8.88 Bq/kg. A comparison of the measured values with the corresponding worldwide average values shows that the most specific activity of 238U and 40K radionuclides in the studied samples are higher than world average activity values