Investigation of mineralogical and radiological content of rock samples, from Abu Zenima Region, South Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

There is increasing interest in radiological assessment of discharges of naturally occurring radionuclides in the terrestrial environment also an important pathway for human exposure is via ingestion and radon inhalation. For most contamination scenarios radioactive contamination of animal fodder and hence animal products are along with drinking water a key element in determining the internal dose to man this study is concerned with the measurement of the radon concentration, work level in two mines and naturally occurring radionuclides Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 in forty samples. The radon progeny concentration is determined by (EDA) device and then we calculated work level. The average of radon concentration and the work level for two mines are 167.5042, 1310.429 Bq/m3 and 0.0219, 0.1771 respectively. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in rock samples from ALLOUGA area, Abu Zenima Region, southwestern Sinai, Egypt were determined using gamma-ray spectrometry in order to assess the associated radiation hazard impacts. The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found to be 212.63±3.01, 75.80±1.13 and 553.56±6.43 Bqkg-1 respectively for (mine I) and 152.54, 61.19and 307.42Bqkg-1 respectively for (mine II). These values exceed the limits of maximum international value. Radium equivalent (Raeq), the external hazard index (Hex), the internal hazard index (Hin), the representative level index (Iγ), dose rate, annual effective dose, excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) were estimated and discussed. Further investigations of the samples have been performed using X-ray Fluorescence and remarkable concentrations of Al, Fe, Ti, Rb and Zr have been observed.