@article{ijp2015336,
author={{Najam, Laith A. and Younis, Shaher A. and Kithah, Fouzey H.},
title={Natural Radioactivity in Soil Samples in Nineveh Province and the Associated Radiation Hazards},
journal={International Journal of Physics},
volume={3},
number={3},
pages={126--132},
year={2015},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/ijp/3/3/6},
issn={2333-4576},
abstract={The natural radioactivity due to presence of <SUP>226</SUP>Ra, <SUP>232</SUP>Th and <SUP>40</SUP>K in soil of Nineveh zone, Nineveh province, Iraq were measured by using gamma-ray spectrometry based on high-purity germanium detector. The specific activity of soil samples ranged from 16.21 to 38.83 Bq/kg with an average of value of 32.52¡À6.48 Bq/kg, 8.53 to 28.37 Bq/kg with an average of 20.30¡À5.36 Bq/kg, 236.03 to 613.11 Bq/kg with an average of 378.93¡À 123.29Bq/kg, and 2.18 to 17.92 Bq/kg with an average of 8.17¡À 5.55 Bq/kg for <SUP>226</SUP>Ra, <SUP>232</SUP>Th, <SUP>40</SUP>K and <SUP>137</SUP>Cs respectively. The study also examine some radiation hazard indices such as Radium equivalent activity (R<SUB>aeq</SUB>), Absorbed gamma dose rate (D), External hazard index (H<SUB>ex</SUB>), Internal hazard index (H<SUB>in</SUB>) and gamma index (I<SUB>¦Ã</SUB>). These calculated hazard indices to estimate the potential radiological health risk in soil. The radium equivalent activity average (R<SUB>aeq</SUB>) was less than the permitted value (370 Bq/kg). The average absorbed dose rate value also less than the permissible limit of 55 nGy/h. The external hazard index, internal hazard index and gamma index of soil samples were less than unity.},
doi={10.12691/ijp-3-3-6}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}