title: Radioactivity concentrations in soil and vegetables from the northern Jordan Rift Valley and the corresponding dose estimates.
abstract: The Jordan Rift Valley (JRV) is considered the food bowl of Jordan, especially during the winter season. In this study, soil and vegetable samples collected from greenhouses in the northern JRV were analysed for their radioactive content. The activity concentrations of (238)U, (235)U, (232)Th, (226)Ra, (137)Cs and (40)K in soil were found to be (+/-SD) 33 +/- 12, 2.2 +/- 0.7, 11.2 +/- 3.3, 40.5 +/- 15.5, 3.5 +/- 1.3 and 156.0 +/- 46.6 (Bq kg(-1)), respectively. In vegetables, the activity concentration of (40)K was found in the range of 698-1439 Bq kg(-1), while those of (226)Ra and (228)Ra were found to be in the range of <0.61-2.56 and <0.69-3.35 Bq kg(-1), respectively. Transfer factors for (40)K were found to be high and ranged from 5 to 8, while those for (226)Ra and (228)Ra were found to be from <0.01 to 0.07 and from <0.09 to 0.42, respectively. The calculated external annual effective dose is found to be within the worldwide range.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan. ababneha@yu.edu.jo
authors.forename: Anas M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ababneh
authors.forename: Maisoun S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Masa'deh
authors.forename: Zaid Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Ababneh
authors.forename: Mufeed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Awawdeh
authors.forename: Abdalmajeid M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alyassin
mesh_terms: D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D007597:Jordan; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D012621:Seasons; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive