Estimation of Soil Radon Concentration in Al-Qateef's Date Palm Farms, Saudi Arabia

Journal Article · Thu Oct 27 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3638114· OSTI ID:21608487

Al-Ghamdi, S S; Al-Garawi, M S; Baig, M R; Al-Sameen, M ^[1]

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1. Physics and Astronomy Department, College of Science, King Saud University, 11451 Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

This study involves the measurement of radon concentrations in agricultural soil from two date Palm farms in Al-Qateef province using CR-39 detector. In each farm the palm trees are arranged in rows separated by the irrigation reservoirs. The first farm is about 10000 m{sup 2} and has 350 palm trees and the second farm is about 7000 m{sup 2} and has 320 palm trees. The average distance between trees is about 5.5 m. The rows are separated by an irrigation reservoir where fertilizers are added. Sixty soil samples were collected from each farm and classified in paperboard boxes. These samples were taken from different depths and positions between the trees and from the irrigation reservoir.A newly designed tag type dosimeter is used in which the alpha tracks are registered on both sides of the CR-39 detector. The tag dosimeter was calibrated against a cup type dosimeter which was calibrated at the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) at the U.K.The detectors were left to count for five months and then chemically treated in the standard way. Finally an optical microscope is used to count alpha tracks and the data are treated statistically.The study is set to test for significant differences in radon concentrations at different positions and depths in the barren and fertilized soils in the two farms. Measured radon concentrations ranged between 42 and 344Bq/m{sup 3}. No significant difference between the mean concentration values in soil samples taken between the trees and that taken at the depth of 50 cm from the irrigation reservoir. Significant difference was however found between radon concentrations in samples collected directly from the surface of the irrigation reservoir where fertilizers are introduced and those taken from the other two positions. The used fertilizers are found to have higher contents of uranium which is limited to the surface soil of the irrigation reservoir.

• OSTI ID: 21608487
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1370, Issue 1; Conference: SPS55: 5. Saudi physical society conference, Abha (Saudi Arabia), 25-27 Oct 2010; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3638114; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
DAMS
DATES
DEPTH
DIELECTRIC TRACK DETECTORS
FARMS
FERTILIZERS
IRRIGATION
NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY
POSITION SENSITIVE DETECTORS
RADON
SAUDI ARABIA
SOILS
TREES
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
ARAB COUNTRIES
ASIA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DIMENSIONS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FOOD
FRUITS
GASES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MIDDLE EAST
NONMETALS
PLANTS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOACTIVITY
RARE GASES