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Investigation of depleted Uranium Contamination in Soil Samples Collected from Aden Assoghra city, Yemen |
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PP: 131-138 |
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doi:10.18576/jrna/110202
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Author(s) |
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Fuad A. AS-Subaihi,
Maharan G. Abdullah,
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Abstract |
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| This study was done for assessment of Depleted Uranium (DU) contaminated surface soil in the seventeen regions in Aden Assoghra city, Yemen, Depleted Uranium (DU) is uranium with low content of 235U produced as a result of uranium enrichment. DU has high density (19.05g/cm3), which is 2.54 more than Iron, so its high penetrating power makes it preferable as emanations with high penetration power. It was used in second Gulf war in 1991 for first time. Seventeen samples of soil were selected from different sites in Aden Assoghra city, Yemen, Radioactivity of these samples was measured using Gamma-ray Spectroscopy. Gamma-ray spectroscopy system consists of high purity germanium (HPGE) detector surrounded by appropriate shield. The measurement of detector efficiency using Genie2000 computer programs, supplied by Canberra Company was used to analyze gamma-ray spectrum. The activity of 234Th, 235U, 234Pa and other natural isotopes were measured. The measurements show that radiation equilibrium between 234Th and 226Ra existed with the range between (0.88-1.1) and radiation equilibrium between 234Th and Pa-234m existed with the range between (0.83 - 1.24).The measurement by gamma-ray spectrometry system showed that eleven samples were contaminated with Depleted Uranium (DU), because the presence of 234Pa and 235U peak and the percentage ratio between 235U/238U were less than 0.005, when the international mathematical method, namely Kosovo, were used. Because of existence of radiation equilibrium between 234Th and 234Pa, the measurements should be accurate. The result showed that eleven of the samples were contaminated with Depleted Uranium (DU) and there is a good agreement with the Kosovo method. Because of the accuracy and ease of the Kosovo method, it is recommended for future investigations. |
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