https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-026-07509-8
Regular Article
Assessment of specific activity: Elemental Concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40 K in selected locations for soil samples in Thi Qar City Iraq
1
Department of Physics, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
2
Ministry of Education, Baghdad, Iraq
a
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Received:
17
December
2025
Accepted:
26
February
2026
Published online:
25
March
2026
Abstract
Natural radionuclide specific activity in fifteen soil samples taken from different locations in the Dhi-Qar Governorate (30°21′36″N and 32°N) and longitudes (45°21′36″E and 47°7′12″E) in southern Iraq has been examined and assessed. At the laboratory of radiation detection and measurement in Science Collage, University of Baghdad, experimental results were obtained using a gamma ray spectrometer analysis system that includes a scintillation detector Sodium Iodide activated by Thallium NaI(Tl) of (3″ × 3″) crystal dimension. By obtaining a spectrum from four common sources of gamma radiation provided by spectrum techniques (LLC), the spectrometer’s energy has been calibrated. All soil samples have a measurement time of 18,000s. Radiation parameters, including radium equivalent, absorbed dose, exposure rate, hazard indices (Hex and Hin), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), were calculated using standard formulae. The average concentrations of uranium, thorium, and potassium were 0.457 ppm, 0.631 ppm, and 0.582%, respectively, with all values significantly below global permissible limits. Radiation indices, such as radium equivalent (22.124 Bq/kg), absorbed dose rate (11.889 nGy/h), and AEDE (0.073 μSv/y). The findings have been contrasted with reliable information from the global literature. in order to assess the natural radioactivity’s radiological risk, compared with the acceptable values of the worldwide average (UNSCEAR, 2000). Thus, the investigated soil samples pose no radiological health risks, indicating that ThiQar Governorate’s environment is radiologically safe and below critical exposure thresholds.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
