Determining The Concentration Of Radon Gas In Clayey Soil Sediments Taken From The Depths of The Hasan River In The Shatt Al-Arab District Of Southern Iraq Using A Cr-39 Detector

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the radon concentration of clayey soil sediment samples taken from the Hasan River in Basra, Iraq using CR39 nuclear track detector. Sediment samples were collected from different locations along the river. Samples underwent an exposure of 90 days followed by chemical etching with 6.25N (NaOH) solution at 70˚ C for 7 hours. The results showed that radon concentration values in the sediment samples collected from different sampling points of Hasan River varied. Variation in radon concentration may be due to variation in the geological nature of the sediments and the environment. The presence of naturally occurring radioactive material was evident in the clayey soil sediments of the Hasan River. The findings of this study are very significant to the distribution of radon gas in the sediments of Hasan River. Furthermore, these findings will assist in determining the environmental radioactivity and radiological condition of the study area.