Estimated the radiation hazard indices and ingestion effective dose in wheat flour samples of Iraq markets

Abstract

In this research, Uranium (238U), Thorium (232Th) and Potassium (40K) specific activity in (Bq/kg) were measured in (12) different types of wheat flours that are available in Iraqi markets. The gamma spectrometry method with a NaI(Tl) detector has been used for radiometric measurements. Also in this study we have calculated the radiation hazard indices (radium equivalent activity and internal hazard index) and Ingestion effective dose in all samples. It is found that the specific activity in wheat flour samples were varied from (1.086 ± 0.0866) Bq/kg to (12.532 ± 2.026) Bq/kg, for238U, For 232Th From (0.126 ± 0.066) Bq/kg to (4.298 ± 0.388) Bq/kg and for 40K from (41.842 ± 5.875) Bq/kg to (264.729 ± 3.843) Bq/kg. Also, it is found that the of radium equivalent activity and internal hazard index in wheat flour samples ranged from (3.4031) Bq/kg to (35.1523) Bq/kg and from (0.0091) to (0.1219) respectively. But The range of summation of the Ingestion effective dose were varied from (0.0317) mSv/y to (0.5734) mSv/y. This study prove that the natural radioactivity, radiation hazard indices and Ingestion effective dose were lower than the safe.