Investigating Radioactive Content in Various Commercially available Flour Samples in Local Iraqi Markets

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the radioactivity of alpha concentration of different samples of flour in Karbala mills and some samples in local Iraqi markets. Alpha sensitive CR-39 plastic paths detectors commonly know as "Solid State Nuclear paths Detectors" were used measuring the concentrations of uranium, efficaious radium content, and ratio of radon. The results indicate that the exhalation levels of mass and surface radon were between 0.214-0.549 mBq/kg.h, and 4.35 -11.185 mBq/m2.h, respectively, with an mediam of 0.385 mBq/kg.h and 7.691 mBq/m2.h. The effective radium content values range from 28 to 78 mBq/kg with an mediam value of 51.06 mBq/kg, respectively. The concentration of uranium values ranges from 0.334 to 0.858 Bq/kg, with a mean value of 0.602 Bq/kg. The measurements of the radon, radium, and uranium concentration in each sample are significant in terms of health safeguard point of view. Hence, easy, and accurate techniques of analysis are highly demanded.