Evaluation of radioactive environmental hazards in Area-3, Northern Palmyrides, Central Syria using airborne spectrometric gamma technique

J Asfahani; M Aissa; R Al-Hent

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.10.029

Evaluation of radioactive environmental hazards in Area-3, Northern Palmyrides, Central Syria using airborne spectrometric gamma technique

Appl Radiat Isot. 2016 Jan:107:259-271. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.10.029. Epub 2015 Oct 29.

Authors

J Asfahani¹, M Aissa², R Al-Hent²

Affiliations

¹ Geology Department, Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box 6091, Damascus, Syria. Electronic address: cscientific3@aec.org.sy.
² Geology Department, Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box 6091, Damascus, Syria.

PMID: 26569554
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.10.029

Abstract

Airborne spectrometric gamma data are used in this paper to estimate the degree of radioactive hazard on humanity in Area-3, Northern Palmyrides, Central Syria. Exposure Rate (ER), Absorbed Dose Rate (ADR), Annual Effective Dose Rate (AEDR), and Heat Production (HP) of the eleven radiometric units included in the established lithological scored map in the study area have been computed to evaluate the radiation background influence in humans. The results obtained indicate that a human body in Area-3 is subjected to radiation hazards in the acceptable limits for long duration exposure. The highest radiogenetic heat production values in Area-3 correspond to the phosphatic locations characterized by relatively high values of uranium and thorium.

Keywords: Airborne spectrometry gamma survey; Al-Awabed Region; Area-1; Area-3; Exposure rate; Heat production; Radioactive environmental hazards; Syria; Syrian Desert.