Statistical relationship between activity concentrations of radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs and geological formations in surface soil of Jordan
2019
Alomari, Ahmad Hussein | Saleh, Muneer Aziz | Hashim, Suhairul | Alsayaheen, Amal | Abukashabeh, Ahmad
An extensive study was conducted to determine the activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs in soil samples of each governate of Jordan. A total of 370 samples have been measured using a high-purity germanium detector. The activity concentration for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs has mean values of 42 ± 3, 23 ± 3, 309 ± 21, and 3.7 ± 0.9 Bq kg–¹, respectively. The highest mean activity concentration for ²²⁶Ra was found to be 138 ± 4 Bq kg–¹ in the Alkarak governate. In the Ajloun and Jarash governates, the highest mean activity concentration was 35 ± 3 Bq kg–¹ for ²³²Th, and 14.2 ± 1.9 Bq kg–¹ for ¹³⁷Cs, respectively. Geological influence on the activity concentrations was investigated using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent samples. The ANOVA results indicate that there are strong significant differences between the activity concentrations of ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs based on geological formations the radionuclides occur. The main contribution to gamma dose rate was due to ²²⁶Ra activity concentration. Radium equivalent and external hazard index are associated with a mean value of 98 Bq kg–¹, and 0.266, respectively.
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