Transfer of natural radioactive nuclides from soil to plant crops.

In this study, we determined the activity concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive nuclides in plant crops and the corresponding soil collected from greenhouses and agricultural fields in Erbil city in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region by using a high purity germanium detector. The soil-to-plant crops transfer factors were determined for radioactive nuclides. The results showed that the activity concentration ranges for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in agricultural soils were (11.94–18.24) Bq/kg, (8.80–12.36) Bq/kg and (247.65–338.26) Bq/kg, respectively. The activity concentrations ranges for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in plant crops were (0.20–1.45) Bq/kg, (0.11–0.48) Bq/kg, and (68.07–1355.36) Bq/kg, respectively. The transfer factors from soil to plant crops for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were in the ranges of (0.011–0.087), (0.011–0.046), and (0.201–5.130), respectively. The annual effective doses from consuming plant crops were also estimated. The values obtained were comparable to the internationally recommended values. • Natural radioactive nuclide level examined in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. • Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K determined in soils and plant. • Measurements used to determine soil-to-plant crop transfer factors. • Annual effective doses from plant crop consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]