Natural radioactivity levels and radiological hazards indices of chemical fertilizers commonly used in Upper Egypt

In order to determine the radiological hazards indices of chemical fertilizers commonly used in Upper Egypt, The concentrations of natural radionuclides Ra-226, Th-232 and 40K in seven types of chemical fertilizers used in Upper Egypt have been measured by gamma spectrometry using NaI (Tl) 300 x 300 detector. The ranges of concentration levels of Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 were 12 +/- 0.6-244 +/- 12.6, 3 +/- 0.2e99 +/- 4.9, and 109 +/- 5.5e670 +/- 34 Bq kg(-1), respectively. In the other side, the range values obtained from fertilizer samples under investigation were (33.1-392.3 Bq kg -1), (0.6-2.7), (15.6-177.8 nGy h(-1)) and (20.1-229.1 mSv y(-1)) for radium equivalent activity, gamma-radiation hazard index I-gamma r, Dose rate (nGy h(-1)) and annual effective dose equivalent (AED) in the air to the occupational workers, respectively. The obtained values were compared with available reported data from other countries in literature. Copyright (C) 2014, The Egyptian Society of Radiation Sciences and Applications. Production and hosting by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.