Natural Radioactivity in Soil and Bitumen in Al-Marj Spring and Abu-Jir Village, Anbar, Western Iraq

Haneen A. Jassam
2021 Iraqi Geological Journal  
The aim of the present research is to illustrate γ-ray levels emitting from soil and bitumen producing from 238U, 232Th, and 40K along Abu-Jir Fault Zone. in the area extended from Al-Marj valley to Abu-Jir village using scintillometer device. Such study is important in environmental assessment to buildup data base about radioactivity. The concentration of natural radionuclides in the study area was determined to be occurring mostly in the clay minerals and organic matter. A high purity
more » ... m spectrometer was used to detect the activity of these elements which ranged between 00.6±18.1- 1526±102, 0- 8.4±1.4, and 70.1±10.9- 328.2±73 in soil, and 28.2±5.6- 94±22.1, 0- 2.2±0.5, and 38.4±7.9- 70.1±10.9 in bitumen for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K respectively. The anomaly of the Naturally occurring radioactive material was associated with hydrocarbon accumulation and springs. The source of 232Th and 40K came from the same source rock (illite), while 226Ra was associated with ascending fluids. The obtained results showed that the activity of 226Ra in soil has value above the world averages and other countries.
doi:10.46717/igj.54.2e.2ms-2021-11-18 doaj:c769c91bdf4b479d9581ad7f0dde622f fatcat:j6e2tgjhx5gijiewm3kc7uit3e