Distribution and environmental impacts of metals and natural radionuclides in marine sediments in-front of different wadies mouth along the Egyptian Red Sea Coast.
Forty-four marine sediment samples were collected in-front of wadis mouth along the Egyptian Red Sea coast: Wadi El-Hamra, Wadi El-Esh, Wadi Abu-Shaar, Wadi El-Gemal and Wadi Khashir (Hamata). Several investigations of natural activity and trace metals of surface sediments were carried out. Distributions of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the marine sediments were determined using NaI (Tl) γ-ray spectrometry. The average activities (range) of natural radionuclides in all wadis in the studied areas are 27.38 (18-48) Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, 38.45 (34-110) Bq kg(-1) for (232)Th and 419.4 (214-641) Bq kg(-1) for (40)K. These results are in agreement with earlier reported data. A comparison of radionuclide activities in the sediment of the studied areas and in other coastal and aquatic environments is given. The radiation hazard parameters (absorbed dose rate, radium equivalent activity and external hazard index) are calculated and compared with the reported data. The results of measurements will serve as base line data and background reference level for Egyptian coastlines.
Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azher University, Assuit Branch, 71542 Assuit, Egypt. Atef_Eltaher@hotmail.com
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el-Taher
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Madkour
D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D019156:Indian Ocean; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis
D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D013910:Thorium; D011883:Radium