Environmental Earth Sciences (2019) 78:194

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8213-4

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Determination of natural radioactivity and radiological hazards in soil

samples: Alhadba and Abuscabh agriculture projects in Libya
A. Alajeeli1,2 · Y. Elmahroug1,3 · Sh. Mohammed1 · A. Trabelsi1

Received: 24 September 2018 / Accepted: 4 March 2019 / Published online: 7 March 2019
© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019

Abstract
In this study, the radioactivity concentrations of the natural radioactive nuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K were measured in 26
surface soil samples of two areas of Libya. The soil samples were collected from two different agricultural lands in north-
west Libya. The measurements of the activity concentration of selected radionuclides in soil samples were effectuated by
gamma-ray spectrometry using hyper-pure germanium detector. The radiological hazard parameters: absorbed gamma dose
rate, annual effective dose and the excess lifetime cancer risk were also determined to assess the radiation hazards caused
by ionizing radiation emitted from the selected radionuclides on the population working and living in the selected regions.
The levels of natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th and 40K in the two areas were found to be below the internationally recom-
mended level. On the other hand, these results indicated that there are no significant radiological impacts to the population
because the values of radiological parameters are less than the international recommended limit. This indicates that the
soils considered were safe for use in agriculture and do not pose any significant radiological hazards for human population.

Keywords Natural radioactive nuclides · Soil · Activity concentration · Absorbed gamma dose rate · Annual effective dose ·
Excess lifetime cancer risk

Introduction which are being emitted by the stellar sources (including

Human beings are continually exposed to ionizing radia-
tion emitted from natural and artificial sources. The annual
effective dose averaged over the world population from these
radiations is about 2.8 mSv year−1 of which 2.4 mSv year−1
is due to the natural radiations and 0.4 mSv year−1 is due to
exposure to artificial radiations (UNSCEAR 2000, 2008).
According to the United Nations Scientific Committee on
the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), there are
two main sources of natural background radiation: cosmic
and terrestrial radiation (UNSCEAR 2000, 2008). The cos-
mic radiation consists of incident particles of high energy
* Y. Elmahroug
youssef_phy@hotmail.fr
1
Unité de Recherche de Physique Nucléaire et des Hautes
Energies, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis
El Manar, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia
2
Department of Physics, Faculty of Education, University
of Jabal Al-Gharbi, Yafran, Libya
3
Ecole Centrale Polytechnique Privée de Tunis, Univesité
Centrale, Tunis, Tunisia
the sun) and other celestial events in the universe (example
supernova).
The terrestrial component of the natural radiations comes
mainly from long-lived primordial radionuclides and their
daughter nuclides, which are present on earth’s crust since
the creation of the earth. Soil is one of the most important
of these natural radioactive sources. In fact, these radionu-
clides are mainly found in rocks and granites, and when are
disintegrated through the processes of erosion and depo-
sition, radionuclides are carried to soil by rain and flows
and become an integral component of the soil. The most
important primordial radionuclides present in the soil are
the radioactive isotopes with half-lives comparable to the
age of earth, mainly Uranium-238 (t1/2 = 4.47 × 109 years),
Thorium-232 (t 1/2 = 1.4 × 10 9 years) and Potassium-40
(t1/2 = 1.25 × 109 years) and their decay series nuclides. The
major fraction of the annual average dose from natural radia-
tions comes from these terrestrial radionuclides and their
daughter products.
These terrestrial radionuclides find their way from envi-
ronment into human body through two main pathways;
external and internal exposure. External exposure occurs

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194 Page 2 of 8
when the body is exposed to gamma-rays emitted by ter-
restrial radioactive isotopes outside the body. While, the
internal exposure occurs when the primordial radionu-
clides or their decay products are incorporated into the
body. The radioactive elements can be taken into human
body by inhalation or oral ingestion. A major portion of
the internal exposure from natural sources is formed by
the inhalation exposure to inert radioactive gas and its
progeny. This gas is produced from the disintegration of
238
U and 232Th in the soil; it percolates through the soil,
and diffuses into the air we breathe. The average effective
dose from radon radiation is approximately 1.3 mSv year−1
(UNSCEAR 2000, 2008). The ingestion pathway arise
from the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs with
terrestrial radionuclides (such as green vegetables, meat,
milk, and eggs). The terrestrial radionuclides find their
way into food chain by direct deposition onto vegetables
(by contact with air containing radionuclide) or by veg-
etables absorption from soil which it grew. Radionuclides
find then their way into human body by directly consump-
tion of contaminated vegetables or by the consumption
of animal products (meat, milk, or eggs) from animals
that have consumed contaminated vegetables. The average
effective dose from ingestion exposure is approximately
0.3 mSv year−1 (UNSCEAR 2000, 2008).
The study of natural radioactivity concentration in soil,
especially the agricultural lands on which food crops are
grown, it is one of crucial importance. Due to the health
risks associated with the terrestrial external radiation expo-
sure and internal exposure from ingestion and inhalation.
The measurements of radionuclide concentration in soil
and assessment of radiological hazard from soil samples
have been made by many researchers throughout the world
(Altıkulaç et al. 2016; Aközcan 2014; Cho et al. 2014; Jallad
2016; Karataşh et al. 2016; Mohammed and Ahmed 2017; El
Samad et al. 2018; Sivakumar 2014). In Libya, many studies
related to determination of distributions of the terrestrial
radionuclides and their concentrations in soil and rocks were
performed (Elnimr et al. 2017; Shenber 1997; Shenber et al.
2001; Tereesh et al. 2013). However, according to thorough
literature review, a comprehensive study related to measure-
ment of activity concentrations of the terrestrial radionu-
clides and assessment of associated radiological hazards in
soil samples collected from agricultural lands in northwest
Libya has not yet been performed. Hence, the main objec-
tive of this study is to determine the activity concentrations
of 238U, 232Th and 40K radionuclides in 26 soil samples
collected from two different agricultural lands around the
northwest Libya and to evaluate the absorbed gamma dose
rate, annual effective dose, external hazard index and the
excess lifetime cancer risk. This study is of great importance
because it allows us to examine whether these two agricul-
tural lands are suitable for use in agriculture or not.
13
Environmental Earth Sciences (2019) 78:194
Material and method
Sample collection and preparation
26 soil samples were taken after cleaning from dust and
waste from two different locations in Libya. 13 soil sam-
ples were taken from Alhadba agriculture project located
south of Tripoli (see Fig. 1), the area of this region is a
≅ 1000 hectare. 13 soil samples were taken from Abus-
cabh agriculture project in the southwest of Tripoli (see
Fig. 2), the area of this region is 1200 hectare. The dis-
tance between samples is (1000–1500 m) from the surface
(0–10 cm).
The collected samples were prepared for analysis by
dried, cursed and sieved through 2 mm meshes and the
volume of the prepared samples was weight and packed in
beaker of 1000 ml and 1.4 kg weight to obtain the standard
volume and weight, for all samples Marinelli beakers are
recommended for measurement of low-activity radioactive
environmental samples, in both liquid and solid phase.
Measurement of calibrated Marinelli beaker standards
with hyper-pure germanium (HPGe) detector showed that
the energy dependence of the efficiency is similar to that
of a point sourced. The samples were carefully sealed
for 1 month to reach secular equilibrium between 226Ra
(daughter of 238U) and its daughters to be measured by
gamma-ray spectrometer. The preparation of samples and
radioactivity measurements were made in Tajoura Nuclear
Research Centre (TNRC), Libya.
Calculation of activity concentration and estimation
of radiological hazards
Activity concentration
In this study, High Purity Germanium detector (HPGe)
mounted on 40 L liquid Nitrogen Dewar is used to detect
and measure the natural elements in the earth crust. This
detector is connected to EG and Gor Tec ACE multichan-
nel analyzer (MCA) with efficiency of 30%. The ACE
is made up of a model 916 card; it monitors the presets,
lifetime, real time and other functions. It has an energy
resolution of l.8 keV for the l332.5 keV gamma-ray transi-
tion of 60Co. The shielding required around the detector
or around the whole Dewar is Lead shield contained two
inner concentric cylinders copper and cadmium to reduce
the background level of the system. The energy and effi-
ciency calibrations of HPGe detector were performed
using a certified standard mixed source supplied by the
International Atomic Energy Agency, containing stand-
ard radionuclides with known levels of activity including
Environmental Earth Sciences (2019) 78:194 Page 3 of 8 194

Fig. 1  Alhadba agricultures point profile location map

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194 Page 4 of 8 Environmental Earth Sciences (2019) 78:194

Fig. 2  Abuscabh agricultures point profile location map

41
Am, 109Cd, 133Ba, 57Co, 139Ce, 137Cs, 54Mn, 65Zn, 60Co control procedures were conducted using standard refer-
and 88Y. For checking the efficiency calibration of the ence material provided by the International Atomic Energy
detector and to ensure the reliability of the results, quality Agency: RGU-1, RGTh-1, and RGK-1.

13
Environmental Earth Sciences (2019) 78:194 Page 5 of 8 194

The concentration of natural radionuclide was calculated by Table 1  Alhadba (A) and Abuscabh (B) agriculture projects activity
the application of Eq. (1), 1460 keV was used to determine 40K concentration calculation results of 238U, 232Th and 40К
and the series of 238U daughters, respectively. The gamma-ray Sampling code Activity concentration (Bq kg−1)
lines of 295.1–351.7 keV (Pb-214) and 609.3–1120.3–1764.5 238 232 40
U Th K
(Bi-214) were used to determine 238U. The gamma-ray lines
of 238.63 (Pb-214), 338.4–911.19–968.9 keV (AC-228) and A01 8.17 ± 0.66 7.21 ± 0.45 247.4 ± 4.6
583.19 keV (Tl-208) were used to determine 232Th. A02 8.57 ± 0.60 6.76 ± 0.43 253.8 ± 4.7
A03 7.72 ± 0.58 8.05 ± 0.44 252.2 ± 4.6
Cn
Ac (Bq kg−1 ) = , (1) A04 8.66 ± 0.60 9.04 ± 0.47 271.0 ± 4.8
P𝛾 M𝜀
A05 9.74 ± 0.64 7.14 ± 0.49 245.4 ± 4.6
where Ac is the activity concentration of the radionuclide in A06 9.68 ± 0.70 10.12 ± 0.47 298.7 ± 4.9
the sample, Cn is the net count rate under the corresponding A07 8.12 ± 0.59 6.91 ± 0.45 248.9 ± 4.5
peak, Pγ is the absolute transition probability of the specific A08 9.28 ± 0.59 8.11 ± 0.40 244.5 ± 4. 6
gamma-ray, M is the mass of the sample (kg) and ε is the A09 5.39 ± 0.57 4.86 ± 0.46 265.4 ± 4.6
detector efficiency at specific gamma-ray energy. A10 6.81 ± 0.62 7.15 ± 0.44 242.35 ± 4.5
The uncertainty of the activity concentration (ΔAc) is A11 9.05 ± 0.68 10.48 ± 0.52 303.9 ± 5.0
calculated in terms of component uncertainties, the count A12 7.25 ± 0.56 5.68 ± 0.44 248.1 ± 4.6
rate, the absolute transition probability of the specific A13 8.31 ± 0.59 5.65 ± 0.46 242.6 ± 4.5
gamma-ray, the mass of sample, and the efficiency of the Range 5.39–9.74 4.86–10.48 242.4–303.9
detector as follows: Average 8.21 7.48 258.8
B01 15.33 ± 0.87 17.05 ± 0.63 424.4 ± 6.0
B02 12.02 ± 0.75 10.12 ± 0.57 343.8 ± 5.4
√
)2 )2
ΔP𝛾
( ( )2 )2
ΔCn (
ΔM
(
Δ𝜀
−1
ΔAc (Bq kg ) = Ac + + + , B03 16.51 ± 0.81 15.66 ± 0.63 409.6 ± 5.9
Cn P𝛾 M 𝜀
(2) B04 14.22 ± 0.79 15.68 ± 0.68 373.8 ± 5.66
B05 15.67 ± 0.82 15.73 ± 0.60 382.7 ± 5.7
where ΔCn is the count rate uncertainty; ΔPγ is the emis-
B06 12.29 ± 0.82 14.23 ± 0.58 340.4 ± 5.4
sion probability uncertainty; Δε is the detector efficiency
B07 11.78 ± 0.74 11.22 ± 0.54 346.7 ± 5.5
uncertainty and ΔM the mass uncertainty.
B08 13.41 ± 0.77 13.02 ± 0.54 305.8 ± 5.0
B09 13.98 ± 0.86 14.32 ± 0.61 382.1 ± 5.7
B10 13.32 ± 0.78 13.37 ± 0.57 317.7 ± 5.1
Radiological hazards
B11 15.94 ± 0.78 14.96 ± 0.61 336.9 ± 5.3
B12 12.93 ± 0.79 12.31 ± 0.54 342.8 ± 5.4
Absorbed gamma dose rate and annual effective dose
B13 16.47 ± 0.81 16.10 ± 0.55 370.5 ± 5.7
Range 11.78–16.47 11.22–17.05 305.8–424.4
The absorbed gamma dose rate in outdoor air at 1 m above
Average 14.14 14.31 359.8
the ground (D in nGy h−1) and corresponding annual effec-
World average 33 45 412
tive dose Deff (mSv year−1) were estimated by using the
(UNSCEAR
activity concentrations (Bq kg−1) of 238U, 232Th and 40K, 2008)
and according to the following equations (UNSCEAR
2008):
D (nGy h−1 ) = 0.462 × AU + 0.604 × ATh + 0.0417 × AK Excess life time cancer
(3)
The excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) is the probabil-
Deff (Sv year−1 ) = D (nGy h−1 ) × 8760 (h y−1 ) ity of development of mortal cancer over a lifetime of an
(4) average adult individual caused by exposure to ionizing
× 0.2 × 0.7 (Sv Gy−1 ),
radiation. For outdoor exposure, ELCR can be calculated
from outdoors annual effective dose Deff using the follow-
where AU, ATh and AK are the activity concentrations in the
ing equation (Taskin et al. 2009):
soil samples (Bq kg−1) of 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively.
8760 is the annual exposure time, 0.7 is the conversion factor LTCR = Deff ⋅ LE ⋅ RF, (5)
from the absorbed dose in air to the effective dose for adults where LE is the average life expectancy (approximately
(UNSCEAR 2008) and 0.2 is the outdoor occupancy factor. 70 years) and RF ­(Sv−1) is the risk factor, which reflects
the fatal cancer risk per sievert (Taskin et al. 2009). For

13
194 Page 6 of 8 Environmental Earth Sciences (2019) 78:194

stochastic effects, RF is determined by the ICRP (1990) at
0.05 for the public (ICRP 1990).
Results and discussion
Activity concentration results
The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides 238U,
232
Th and 40K in soil samples collected from two agricultural
lands in northwest Libya have been determined by using
the gamma spectrometry. The obtained activity concentra-
tions of 238U, 232Th and 40K, with their range, their average
value and their standard deviation are presented in Table 1.
As can be seen from this table, the measured activity con-
centrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in Alhadba agriculture
project soil ranged from 5.39 ± 0.57 to 9.74 ± 0.64 Bq kg−1
with an average value of 8.21 Bq kg−1, from 4.86 ± 0.46 to
10.48 ± 0.52 Bq kg−1 with an average value of 7.48 Bq kg−1,
from 242.4 ± 4.5 to 303.9 ± 5.0 Bq kg−1 with an average value
of 258.79 Bq kg−1, respectively. The activity concentrations
of 238U, 232Th and 40K for soil samples from the Abuscabh
agriculture project lie in the range of 11.78 ± 0.74–16.47 ±
0.81 Bq kg−1 with an average value of 14.14 Bq kg−1, 11.
22 ± 0.54–17.05 ± 0.63 Bq kg−1 with an average value of
14.31 Bq kg−1, and 305.8 ± 5.0–424.4 ± 6.0 Bq kg−1 with an
average value of 359.80 Bq kg−1, respectively. The activity
concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in soil samples col-
lected from Abuscabh agriculture project are observed to
be comparatively higher than that in soil samples collected
from the Alhadba agriculture project. This may be due to
the difference composition of soil in each region, and to the

Table 2  Radiological Indexes Sampling code Absorbed dose rate, D Annual effective dose, Deff Excess lifetime
are estimated for Alhadba (nGy h−1) (µSv year−1) cancer risk
(A), Abuscabh (B) agriculture (× 10−5)
projects and the high way
between Tripoli and Zawia (C) A01 18.45 22.62 7.92
areas, respectively
A02 18.63 22.85 8.00
A03 18.94 23.23 8.13
A04 20.76 25.46 8.91
A05 19.04 23.36 8.17
A06 23.04 28.26 9.89
A07 18.31 22.45 7.86
A08 19.38 23.77 8.32
A09 16.49 20.22 7.08
A10 17.57 21.55 7.54
A11 23.18 28.43 9.95
A10 17.13 21.01 7.35
A11 17.37 21.30 7.46
Range 16.49–23.18 20.22–28.43 7.08–9.95
Average 19.10 23.42 8.20
B01 35.08 43.02 15.06
B02 27.403 33. 61 11.76
B03 34.17 41.90 14.67
B04 31.63 38.79 13.58
B05 32.70 40.11 14.04
B06 28.47 34.91 12.22
B07 26.68 32.72 11.45
B08 26.81 32.88 11.51
B09 31.05 38.08 13.33
B10 27.48 33.70 11.79
B11 30.45 37.34 13.07
B12 27.70 33.97 11.89
B13 32.78 40.20 14.07
Range 26.68–35.08 32.72–43.02 11.45–15.06
Average 29.13 35.73 12.96
World average 59 70 25
(UNSCEAR 2008)

13
Environmental Earth Sciences (2019) 78:194
types of the rock from which the soils originate and also to
the formation and geological processes that are involved.
It can also be seen that the activity concentration of 40K
for all investigated soil samples is higher than the activity
concentrations of 238U and 232Th. This indicates that 40K
is a most abundant terrestrial radionuclide than the other
radionuclides in the investigated soils. In addition, the use
of fertilizers containing of the Potassium these agricultural
areas may contribute to the higher values of 40K activity
concentration.
The average activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and
40
K as obtained in the present study for Abuscabh and
Alhadba agriculture projects soil samples have been com-
pared with world average values reported by UNSCEAR
(UNSCEAR 2008). It can be seen that the average values
of the activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in this
study are lower than the world average values.
Radiological hazards
Absorbed gamma dose rate
The external terrestrial gamma dose rates due to 238U,
232
Th and 40K decay chains 40K in Alhadba and Abuscabh
agriculture projects soils are listed in the second column
of Table 2. It can be seen that the calculated absorbed
dose rate ranged from 16.49 to 23.18 nGy h −1 and 26.68
to 35.08 nGy h−1 in the Alhadba and Abuscabh agricul-
ture projects, respectively. The average absorbed dose rate
in the Alhadba and Abuscabh agriculture projects were,
respectively, 19.10 and 29.13 nGy h−1, which are lower
than the world average absorbed dose rate of 59 nGy h−1
as reported by UNSCEAR (UNSCEAR 2008).
Annual effective dose
The annual external effective dose received by the local
population due to natural radioactivity in soil was calcu-
lated using the Eq. (4). The calculated values of annual
external effective dose are summarized in the third col-
umn of Table 2. The values obtained of annual effective
dose in Alhadba and Abuscabh agriculture projects were
found to be in the range from 20.22 to 28.43 µSv year−1,
with an average value of 23.42 µSv year −1 and from
32.72 to 43.02 µSv year −1 , with an average value of
35.73 µSv year−1, respectively. It is clear that the results of
the present study are lower than the world average annual
effective dose received from terrestrial gamma radiation
of 70 µSv year−1 as reported by UNSCEAR (UNSCEAR
2008).
Page 7 of 8 194
Excess life time cancer
The calculated values of the excess lifetime cancer risk are
listed in the four column of Table 2. The values obtained
ranged from 7.08 × 10 −5 to 9.95 × 10−5 with an average
of 8.20 × 10−5 in Alhadba agriculture project and from
11.45 × 10−5 to 15.06 × 10−5 with an average of 12.96 × 10−5
in Abuscabh agriculture project. The world average limit for
outdoor terrestrial gamma radiation is 24 × 10−5. So, the cal-
culated values are lower than the world average value in both
agriculture projects. This indicates that the risk of dying
because of cancer due to external exposure to terrestrial
radionuclides was estimated to be 82 out of a million adults
for Alhadba agriculture project and 130 out of a million
adults for Abuscabh agriculture project. It is lower than the
prediction made by UNSCEAR (UNSCEAR 2008) which is
245 out of a million dying due to cancer (if the UNSCEAR
total natural radiation dose of 0.07 mSv year−1 was used).
Conclusion
It is clear from the data of the gamma-ray; spectroscopic
analysis in soil samples collected from Alhadba, Abus-
cabh and the high way between Tripoli and Zawia, the
level of natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th and 40K is
lower than the international recommended limit. Also the
result of estimation the radiation hazard of the indicated
radionuclides in the studied locations is lower than the
international recommended limit. Results are compared
with United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of
Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR 2008). Alhadba and Abus-
cabh agriculture projects provide safe infrastructure for
cultivation. We can conclude that the products from these
agricultural projects are radiologically safe for human con-
sumption. This study may be used as a baseline for future
investigations.
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