Evaluation of radon concentration and natural radioactivity exposure from the soil of Wadi Hodein region, Egypt

Background: The presence of radon and radioactive nuclei emitted from uranium could result in a radiological hazard. Humans are exposed to natural radiation, which arises from cosmic radiation, radon gas, and radiation from radioactive nuclei of each thorium, uranium, and thorium. Methods and Methods: This research cares to study the concentration of the natural radioactivity (238-U, 232-Th and 40-K) and radon for fourteen samples of soil from different fourteen location in Wadi Hodein region in Egypt (Southern Eastern Desert). The radon gas was measured using CR-39 detector, while the activity concentration for natural radioactivity measured by HPGD system. Results: The results of the gamma ray spectroscopy show that main activity concentration of 238-U, 232-Th and 40-K are 13.04±1.15, 12.33±1.54 and 445.33±23.54 Bq/Kg respectively. The 43% form concentration value for K-40 are higher than the exemption level 412 Bq/Kg proposed by the UNSCEAR 2008. Moreover, the 15% of values for absorbed dose Dab were higher than public average 57 nGy/h. But annul effective dose values AED were less than recommended limits for the radiation which reported by UNSCEAR 2000 and 2008. The mean value concentration of radon was 265.96± 25.45 Bq/m3. The results of samples show that 28.27% of the radon gas concentrations and annul effective dose from radon (AEDR) in soil is higher than allowed limit recommended from International Commission on Radiological Protection agency (ICRP 2007). Conclusions: Radium, shows good relationship with radon exhalation rate in soil. Good correlation observed between lung cancer per year per million people and radon concentrations for all soil samples.