Background: The new glasses from harmful environmental waste such as cement dust; limestone phosphate, sand and borax (Genkare) were manufactured. Investigation of the radioactivity present in these materials (Phosphate rock, cement dust, limestone, sand and borax) enables one to assess any possible radiological hazard to humankind by such materials. Materials and Methods: Fifteen samples were collected from five locations. Activity measurements have been performed by gamma-ray spectrometer, employing a high-resolution scintillation detector NaI (Tl) crystal 3 ×3 inch. In addition, the radiological hazards were calculated for the investigated samples. Results: The average values of activity ranged from 28±2 to 163±12, 2.8±0.7 to 40±3 and from 49±4 to 1337±74 Bq kg-1 for ²²⁶R, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K, respectively. The values of absorbed dose rates, radium equivalent activities and annual effective dose due to 226Ra, 232Th and 40K respectively, are ranged from 22.05 to 101.59 nGy h-1, 45.90 to 224.22 Bq kg^-1 and 27.04 to 124.59 µSv y-1. In addition, the values of external hazard index, internal hazard index and gamma index have been calculated.  Conclusion: According to the obtained results, all materials would not present a significant radiological hazard except phosphate. The results of the study could serve as important baseline radiometric data for future epidemiological studies and monitoring initiatives.
 

Background: This work investigated the transfer factor of radionuclides from clay loam soil to sesame and cowpea plants. Materials and Methods: Twenty samples from the plant and twenty samples from its soil were collected from five different locations (farms). Gamma-ray spectrometry was used to determine the activity concentration for the samples. In addition, the soil physicochemical characteristics such as pH value, the amount of organic content and texture of soil were investigated by pH meter, Walkley-Black and particle size distribution (Pipette) methods, respectively. Results: The average activity concentrations, respectively, of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K were 12.75, 10.20 and 131.75 Bq kg^-1 for the clay loam soil, 5.20, 4.15 and 171.00 Bq kg^-1 for sesame and 6.70, 5.60 and 182.90 Bq kg^-1 for cowpea. The transfer factor from soil to sesame and cowpea was discussed. The average values of transfer factor were 0.51, 0.53 and 1.36 (for cowpea) and 0.42, 0.43 and 1.33 (for sesame), respectively for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K. The results showed that the transfer factor in cowpea is much greater than that in sesame. As a result of the ingestion of the radionuclides from the plants, the average annual dose was lower than the 290 μSv y^-1 world average. Conclusion: Accordingly, the radiological risk due to the intake of the natural radionuclides in these plants was immaterial.