Title: Enhancement of natural radioactivity in farm surface soils from Abyan Delta in Yemen

Authors: Emran Eisa Saleh; Abdallah Ibrahim Abd El-Mageed; Hany El-Gamal; Maher Taher Hussien

Addresses: Department of Physics, Faculty of Education Toor El-Baha, Aden University, Aden, Yemen ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut City, Egypt ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut City, Egypt ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Education Yafea, Aden University, Aden, Yemen

Abstract: Radium, thorium and potassium analyses have been made in farm soil samples collected from Abyan Delta in Yemen using gamma ray spectrometry. Abyan Delta is an agricultural area that produces many agricultural crops in Yemen. The results show that ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K radionuclides were present in average concentrations of 34.9 ± 2.9, 84.5 ± 7.8, 1232.7 ± 40 Bq kg⁻¹ for farm surface soil irrigation by flood water. The corresponding values for farm surface soil irrigation by ground water were 30.24 ± 2.7, 63.64 ± 5.7, 1096 ± 36 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq), the external hazard index (H_ex), the internal hazard index (H_in), and absorbed dose in air were calculated. The data were discussed and compared with those given in the literature. Chemical analysis for elemental oxides was also carried out along with the measurement of pH of soil samples.

Keywords: farm soils; natural radioactivity; absorbed dose rate; soil contamination; Yemen; radium; thorium; potassium; low radiation; agriculture; soil irrigation; groundwater; floodwater; hazard indexes; absorbed dose.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2015.071762

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2015 Vol.10 No.1, pp.34 - 47

Received: 08 Nov 2014
Accepted: 08 Jun 2015
Published online: 17 Sep 2015 *