Radon Activity Concentration Measurements in the Water Collected from the Lower Zab River in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Jahfer M. Smail; Hiwa H. Azeez; Habeeb H. Mansour; Saddon T. Ahmad

doi:10.14500/aro.11192

Jahfer M. Smail Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7704-7155
Hiwa H. Azeez Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University–Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region - F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8209-1019
Habeeb H. Mansour Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University–Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region - F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9695-1254
Saddon T. Ahmad Faculty of Medicine, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0427-2700

Keywords: Activity concentration, Annual effective dose, Lower zab river, RAD-H2O, Radon gas, Water

Abstract

This study aims to assess radon levels in the water of the Lower Zab River. Knowing the radon concentrations is crucial for understanding the potential risks to human health and implementing protective measures. ARAD7-H₂O detector has been used to measure the radon concentration in 28 water samples from the Lower Zab River in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Results show that the radon activity concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 4 Bq.L⁻¹, with an average of 0.61 Bq.L⁻¹, and the resulting annual effective dose (AED) varied from 0.137 to 60.06 Sv.y⁻¹, with an average of 12.08 Sv.y⁻¹. The average radon concentration and AED in the measured samples are below the reference levels recommended by the ICRP and the World Health Organization. Consequently, the LZR water is suitable for human consumption and use and does not present any health hazards related to radon exposure.

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Author Biographies

Jahfer M. Smail, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Jaafar M. Smail a Lecturer at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and health, Koya University. He got the B.Sc. degree from Salahaddin University, the M.Sc. degree from Koya University and the Ph.D. degree from Salahaddin University. His research interests are in Nuclear Radiation, Medical Radiation and Environmental Radiation Protection.

Hiwa H. Azeez, Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University–Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region - F.R. Iraq

Hiwa H. Azeez a Assistant Prof. at the Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University. He got the B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Salahaddin University. His research interests are in Nuclear Radiation Physics and Environmental Radiation Protection.

Habeeb H. Mansour, Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University–Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region - F.R. Iraq

Habeeb H. Mansour a Assistant Prof. at the Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University. He got the B.Sc. degree from Salahaddin University, the M.Sc. degree from Salahaddin University and the Ph.D. degree from Baghdad University. His research interests are in Nuclear Radiation, and Nuclear physics.

Saddon T. Ahmad, Faculty of Medicine, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Saddon T. Ahmad is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Koya University. He got the B.Sc. degree from Baghdad University, the Ph.D. degree from Sussex University. His research interests are in Nuclear Theory, Nuclear Radiation, Medical Radiation, and Environmental Radiation Protection.

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