EVALUATION OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY IN A CULTIVATED AREA AROUND A FERTILIZER FACTORY

Soil samples were collected from a cultivated area, where phosphate fertilizers produced by Abu-Zabal factory. Radioactivity concentration was measured usingHPGe (high purity germanium detection system). Specific activity levels due to 226Ra,232Th and 40K were measured in 23 fertilized soil samples at different depth from zeroto 25 cm with a step of 5 cm depth. The average activity concentration (Bqkg-1) in the collected soil samples were found to be in the ranged from 6.0 ± 1.2 to 87.5 ± 4.5Bqkg-1 with an average value of 31.12 ± 2.22 Bq.kg-1 for 226Ra, the 232 Th specific activities ranged from 3.8 ± 1.2 to 14.2 ± 3.3 Bqkg-1 with an average value of 10.96 ±1.89 Bqkg-1 and the 40K specific activities ranged from 71.8 ± 24 to 543.2 ± 26.5 Bqkg-1with an average value of 264.1 ± 11.94 Bqkg-1. The absorbed dose in air at the cultivated farm was found to be 31 nGyh-1 within the range (9.7-57.8) nGyh-1 while itis in the order of the world average level (57nGyh-1). The radium equivalent activity(Raeq), the external hazard index (Hex) and the annual dose equivalent were also calculated and compared with the international recommended values and found to be within the international level.