The aim of this study is to determine the natural radioactivity levels and evaluate the radiological hazard in vegetable samples collected from Kirkuk city by using gamma-ray spectrometer HPGe. The results show that the highest specific activity of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th in vegetables was (9.65, 7.9) Bq.kg^–1 in Vg27 (Root/Garlic) while, the highest specific activity of ⁴⁰K was (221.08 Bq.kg^–1 in Vg37 (Leguminous/kidney bean), respectively. The results show that the average specific activities in vegetable samples for ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K was (6.119, 4.763 and 135.595) Bq.kg^–1, respectively, these results were found to be below natural radiation exposure reported by UNSCEAR, radium equivalent activity (Raeq) were varied from maximum value (30.345 Bq.kg^–1 in Vg15 (Leafy/coriander leaves)) to minimum value 13.002 Bq.kg^–1 in Vg37 (Leguminous/kidney bean)) with average value 23.371 Bq.kg^–1, the total average annual effective dose in vegetable samples for adults, children (10 years old) and infants are estimated to be (60.487, 128.090 and 170.431 μSvy^–1), respectively, than those below the WHO permissible limit of 0.3 m μSvy^–1. The calculated values of external and internal hazard index in the samples which were lower than the worldwide average value 1, respectively; therefore, these values are found to be safe. The level of radioactivity concentrations in vegetables was determined to ensure consumer safety and the results provide useful information to assess the dose emitted from this radioactivity due to ingestion of these vegetables. This study is very important to investigate the level of radioactivity of vegetables and the findings of this study will useful to determine a baseline of radioactivity exposure to the human from ingestion of vegetables.

Determination of Natural Radioactivity and Radiological Hazards of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the Grains Available at Penang Markets, Malaysia, Using High-purity Germanium Detector

This study was carried out to measure the radioactivity of radionuclides (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰ K) in tap water (drinking water) of 18 houses in Chamchamal town, Kurdistan Iraqi region by using the gamma-ray spectrometry (HPGe detector). The concentrations of ²²⁶Ra in drinking water sample varied from 42.335 Bq·L⁻¹ in TW3 to 102.209 Bq·L⁻¹ in TW13 with an average of 75.675 Bq·L⁻¹; the concentrations of ²³²Th varied from 35.895 Bq·L⁻¹ in TW3 to 96.269 Bq·L⁻¹ in TW13 with an average of 68.678 Bq·L⁻¹; and the concentrations of ⁴⁰ K ranged from 367.885 Bq·L⁻¹ in TW3 to 527.759 Bq·L⁻¹ in TW13 with an average of 447.058 Bq·L⁻¹. Thus, the highest activity concentration ratio was found in TW13 (⁴⁰ K (74%) > ²²⁶Ra (14%) > ²³²Th (12%)). Nonetheless, the maximum concentration of ²²⁶Ra (102.209 Bq·L⁻¹) was relatively lower than the maximal admissible value of 370 Bq·L⁻¹, as suggested by UNSCEAR. The maximum values of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin), outdoor external dose (Dout), and indoor absorbed dose (Din) rate in the drinking water samples were determined to be 280.511 Bq·L⁻¹, (0.757, 1.033, 127.37) nGyh⁻¹ and 242.14 nGyh⁻¹, respectively. I_γ of gamma and Iα of gamma were measured to be 0.998 and 0.511, respectively. Strong correlation was found between the activity concentrations of Ra-226 and Raeq in the drinking water. Natural radionuclide in drinking water is 0.1 mSv·year⁻¹ established by the WHO. Therefore, drinking water samples in location under study are considered safe from radiological health hazard.

Plastics production is increased recently due to their various applications such as construction, electronic, packaging and others. The rising in plastics demand lead to developed of recycling and energy recovery method to control plastic wastes. Recycling process is needs to be arranged according to resins, colors and transparency of all plastics. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was developed for the determination of the chemical composition in different plastics materials (with resin identification code) of PETE (1) or PET (01), HDPE (2) or PE-HD (02), V (3) or PVC (03), LDPE (4) or PE-LD, PP (5) or PP (06), PS (6) or PS (06) and Others (7) or O (07). XRF was measured elements such as Si, S, Cl, Fr, Ca, Ti, V, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Kr, Zr, Nb, Mo and Nb in both k _α and k _β lines, where PP with high percentage in both PET and PVC plastics, which is highly hazardous. In addition, chemical compositions in percentages were detected for various plastics materials.

It is important to monitor outdoor radon (²²²Rn) and thoron (²²⁰Rn) concentrations in order to assess the risk of respiratory cancer, and provide appropriate ways to reduce these concentrations, because the study samples were taken in Halabja city, which has previously bombarded by heavy weapon and chemical bomb. This study aimed to assess the ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn in dark brown soil samples using CR-39 detector. The results showed the mean values of ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn were 137.60 ± 25.67 and 76.13 ± 20.63 Bq m^–3 respectively. These results in each studied soil samples were lower than the global average recommended by ICRP. In order to determine whether the soil of the study area under investigation poses radiological risks, several radiological hazard parameters were used, including potential alpha energy concentration (\({\text{PAEC}}\)) annual effective dose (\({\text{AED}}\)), excess lifetime cancer risk (\({\text{ELCR}}\)), and effective dose rate to different body organ (\({{D}_{{{\text{organ}}}}}\)). The results were compared with the international safe limits. According to ICRP and UNSCEAR recommendation, all radiological hazard parameters had values below the world limit. Furthermore, Correlations between ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn concentrations as well as radiological hazard parameters were determined by Pearson correlation coefficient.