Measurements of Background Radioactivity in Soil, Water and Dust Storm in Selected Sites of Kirkuk Governorate-Iraq

Abstract

Fourteen (14) samples of surface soil, four (4) water samples and sample of dust storm were collected from selected sites of Kirkuk governorate. Radioactivity of (K-40, U-238, Th-232, Cs-137) were measured using NaI Gamma Spectrometer. The mean radioactivity for (K-40, U-238, Th-232) in soil were (158, 20, 20) Bq/Kg, while for water samples it was (19.11) Bq/kg for K-40 and below detection level for both U-238, Th-232. On the other hand for dust storm samples the radioactivity for (K-40, U-238, Th-232) were (379.3, 23.4, 22.06) respectively. Cs-137 results was below detection limits for both soil and water samples while, it was (19.3) Bq/kg in dust storm samples. It was concluded from the study that the results of radioactivity were within the international standards except the radioactivity of CS -137 in dust storm sample