title: Estimating the risk of cancer and the hazardous index due to radiation from the phosphate mine in Russifa area.
abstract: Phosphate mines are considered prone to high radioactivity. The Russifa area contains one of the largest phosphate mines in Jordan. The hazardous index is high at 1.503 and 1.24, while the radium equivalent activity concentrations were 556.9 and 459.9 for phosphate pile and zoo, respectively. These values exceed the permissible levels in residential areas. The annual radiation doses at the site equals 36.4 and 30.1 mSv for the phosphate pile and zoo, respectively and these values pose a significant risk on the nearby population. Cancer risk is high in all body tissues, especially in the colon for both males and females. It is therefore imperative that these sites be rehabilitated and with a priority objective to reduce the annual dose rate to permissible levels and consequently the risk of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Water & Environment Department, Engicon, Amman, Jordan. mshorman@engicon.com
authors.forename: Malek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shorman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008906:Mining; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D011883:Radium