Ядерна фізика та енергетика Nuclear Physics and Atomic Energy   ISSN: 1818-331X (Print), 2074-0565 (Online)   Publisher: Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine   Languages: Ukrainian, English   Periodicity: 4 times per year   Open access peer reviewed journal

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Zahrah Madhat Rifaaht^*, Heiyam Najy Hady Alkafajy

Department of Physics, Faculty of Education for Girls, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

^*Corresponding author. E-mail address: rifaahtz2019@gmail.com

Abstract: Study on environmental radiation protection and determination of contamination of natural radionuclides such as ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra/²²⁸Th in soil and plants is important for the protection of public health. The environmental health surveillance program to develop a subject of interest in environmental science is therefore necessary for the awareness and the benefit of mankind. This study is focused on the transfer factors (TFs) of isotopes from soil to plants. Transfer factor is a value used in evaluation studies on the impact of accidental release of radionuclide into the environment. 80 samples (40 reed plants and 40 soils) were collected from Dulmaj marsh. Dulmaj is in the southwest of Wasit and northeast of Diwaniyah. ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra/²²⁸Th activities were measured by using NaI(Tl) 3"×3". ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra/²²⁸Th activity concentrations ranged from 87 to 706, 1.2 to 35.7, and 2.6 to 17 Bq·kg^-1, respectively in soil. ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra/²²⁸Th activity concentrations ranged from 9.6 to 472, 0.26 to 30, and 0.09 to16.1 Bq·kg^-1, dry mass respectively in the plants. The transition factors of ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra/²²⁸Th ranged between 0.02 to 0.97, 0.07 to 0.99, 0.09 to 0.99, respectively. TFs had shown different values in all locations. However, all the rates of values of the TFs have been shown to be less than one.

Keywords: transfer factors, Dulmaj marsh, plants, soil, radionuclides, soil-to-plant transfer factor.

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