Abstract:
The subject of this work is a radiological study of environmental
radionuclides along the River Nile branch in northern Sudan. Measurements of
natural and some artificial (man-made) radionuclides in sediments, water were
performed. Twenty eight samples have been collected along the River Nile from
Khartoum , Aljaily , Shandi , Atbra , Dongola ,Wawa , Janas and Halfa using
the standard sampling procedures.The radioactivity concentrations were
measured in Bq kg-1 ,Bq L-1 for natural 226Ra( 238U ) series, 232Th series and 40K
and artificial 137Cs radionuclides .The technique for the measurements of
radionuclide concentrations applied is gamma ray spectrometers based on hyper
pure germanium ( HPGe ) detectors .
The data obtained for samples were fed and displayed through a computerprogram and plotted for the activity distribution. The doses received by
population along the River Nile have been estimated from the represented
results.
This study leads to the following concluded points
- The average activity concentrations of 226Ra( 238U ) series, 232Th series
and 40K in sediment samples measured by gamma spectrometry were
22.31, 25.24 and 372.98 Bq/kg (dry weight) respectively.
- The activity concentration of 137Cs in (sediments and water) samples is
less than deduction limit (<DL) .
- The activity concentration of radionuclides 226Ra (238U) series and 232Thseries in some water samples samples were within the low limit of
detection.
- K-40 was detected in water samples with an average concentration of
110.38 Bq L-
