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Natural radioactivity measurements in groundwater from Al-Jawa, Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

Measurements of 222Rn, 226Ra and 228Ra concentration in a total of 19 different well waters sampled collected from Al-Jawa, Saudi Arabia were investigated. The concentrations of 222Rn were measured by RAD7 H2O technique. The concentration of 226 Ra and 228Ra were measured using gamma spectrometry preceded by ion exchange chromatography separation. It was found that the concentration of 222Rn ranged from 1.45 ± 1.19 to 9.15 ± 1.55 Bq L−1. These values are below 11 Bq L−1 the maximum contamination level recommended from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The range of 226Ra concentration are 0.012 ± 0.001 to 0.59 ± 0.049 Bq L−1 with average value 0.29 ± 0.025 Bq L−1. The range of 228Ra concentration are 0.062 ± 0.007 to 2.12 ± 0.08 Bq L−1 with average value 0.86 ± 0.029 Bq L−1.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Deanship of Scientific Research at Qassim University for financial support under contract No. SR-D-012-1986. Authors also would like to thank Water and Electricity Ministry Branch in Qassim Region for cooperation in measuring Radium concentrations.

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  1. A. El-Taher

    Present address: Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    S. S. Althoyaib

  2. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit, 71452, Egypt

    A. El-Taher

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Althoyaib, S.S., El-Taher, A. Natural radioactivity measurements in groundwater from Al-Jawa, Saudi Arabia. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 304, 547–552 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3874-7

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