Transmission of natural radiation from soil to maize plants and radiological hazards resulting from consumption in upper Egypt

Abstract

Radioactivity concentrations of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) for some agricultural soil and foodstuff (maize) samples were measured by NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometer. The average activity concentrations in soil samples are 11 ± 1 to 37 ± 3 Bq kg-1, 7 ± 0.4 to 18 ± 2 Bq kg-1, and 101 ± 6 to 196 ± 9 Bq kg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K respectively. The ranges of average activity concentrations for maize samples, collected from the same soil were found to be 5 ± 0.6 to 14 ± 0.7 Bq kg-1, 6 ± 1 to 11 ± 1 Bq kg-1 and 154 ± 8 to 233.4 ± 12 Bq kg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K respectively. The transfer factors (TFs) of natural radiation from soil to maize plants were also calculated. Additionally, the radiological hazards for farmers and populations were obtained. The obtained values are comparable to the internationally recommended values. The annual effective dose from maize consumption was also estimated, which was found to be in the range of between 254.4 and 511.5 μSv y-1.