Uranium isotopes concentrations in surface water samples for Al-Manathera and Al-Heerra regions of An-Najaf, Iraq

In this work, the concentrations of natural uranium, uranium isotopes, and the annual effective dose in the surface water for both of Al-Manathera and Al-Heerra regions of An-Najaf, Iraq were determined using a solid state, nuclear track detector, type (CR-39). The results show that the average of uranium concentrations in Al-Manathera and Al-Heerra regions were 1.75 ± 0.202 µg/l and 1.07 ± 0.152 µg/l respectively. The average of activities of ²³⁸U, ²³⁵U and ²³⁴U in Al-Manathera were in 6.48 ± 0.250, 0.100 ± 0.011 and 2.18 ± 0.252 Bq/l, while in Al-Heerra, they were 1.27 ± 0.188, 0.061 ± 0.008 and 1.33 ± 0.189 Bq/l, respectively. The total average of the annual effective dose of natural uranium in all water samples to the adult members of the population for both of Al-Manathera and Al-Heerra regions were 0.152 ± 0.017 µSv/y and 0.093 ± 0.012 µSv/y respectively. In addition, the outcomes demonstrate that uranium levels in the samples of water from Al-Manathera region were far toxic than the samples of Al-Heerra region, as they included uranium levels and total annual effective dose in all water samples of water that comply with the worldwide limits that are approved by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP Publication, Ottawa, 21:1–3; ICRP, Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, ICRP Publication, Ottawa, 1990 and Pergamum Press, Oxford; ICRP, Annals of the ICRP. ICRP publication 65, Pergamum Press, Oxford, 1993) which states that safe limits are (1.9 µg/L and 1 mSv/y) respectively. For that reason, one may conclude that the radioactive isotopes are not considered dangerous in case humans consumed it.