Determination of Radioactivity Concentration and Assessment of Absorbed Effective Dose of Edible Plant and Soil Samples

The aim of this study is the determination of radioactivity concentrations of naturally occurring K-40, U-238, and Th-232 and assessment of the annual effective dose of edible plant and its soil samples. The activity concentrations in soil and plant samples were measured using to HPGe-detector and analyzed using Genie2000 software. The radium equivalent, annual absorbed effective dose, indoor, outdoor absorbed dose and hazard index (Hex, Hin and I(sic)) have been estimated for workers. The present study has shown that both the uptake and the activity concentrations of U-238 and Th-232 were significantly low in comparison with K-40 radionuclide in soil and edible plant samples. Interestingly, the results of this research have demonstrated that soil and plant samples, that have been collected from Sharqia governorate, exhibited low activity concentration of radionuclides. Moreover, this decline in the activity concentration of radionuclides is below the worldwide values [1]. Taken together, the results of the present investigation on Radium equivalent, annual absorbed effective dose, indoor, outdoor absorbed dose, and hazard index (H-ex, H-in and I(sic)) provide compelling evidence that the soil has low U-238, Th-232 and K-40 concentration. Based on the present data, it is tempting to conclude that there is no health risk for eating these edible plants.