Estimation of radon activity concentration in Abu Al-Khaseb and Ad Dayer soil in southern Iraq using CR-39 detector

Environmental monitoring for outdoor and indoor radon is very significant for public health to evaluate the probability of developing respiratory system cancer, and to offer proper procedures that reduce the outdoor or indoor radon concentration. In southern Iraq, several cases of various types of cancer injuries have been reported in the literature. In this work, the radon concentration in the clay soil in Abu Al-Khaseb and Ad Dayer districts in Basra province in the south of Iraq has been measured in 18 samples collected from different depths. The mean values obtained for radon activity concentration in Abu Al-Khaseb and Ad Dayer were found to be 64.8 ± 0.9 and 80.9 ± 0.9 Bq m⁻³, respectively. The outcomes demonstrated that radon's concentration in both locations is within the safe range recommended by the World Health Organization WHO and the International Commission on Radiological Protection ICRP. The mean values of the estimated radiation hazard indices include the equilibrium equivalent radon concentration, the potential alpha energy concentration, the annual absorbed dose, the annual equivalent dose, the excess lifetime cancer risk, and the lung cancer cases per year per million people are well within the acceptable limits in both regions (45.3 Bq/m³, 0.01 mWL, 0.2 mSv/y, 0.4 mSv/y, 1.4, and 2.7 mSv\(\times {10}^{-6}\)/y in Abu Al-Khaseb and 56.7 Bq/m³, 0.02 mWL, 0.2 mSv/y, 0.5 mSv/y, 1.7, and 3.4 mSv\(\times {10}^{-6}\)/y in Ad Dayer, respectively). The areas under study are considered to be safe and do not pose any risk for inhabitants. Results obtained in this work were compared with other locally obtained results, and there is no significant variation in radon concentrations from one region to another.