Assessment of background radiation in government institutions and hospitals in Karbala governorate using dosimeter detector.

The present study aims to measure background radiation of natural radioactivity (Dose rate, Annual Effective Dose, and Effective Long Cancer Risk) in thirty locations at different hospitals and government institutions in Karbala governorate. The results using the dosimeter are shown that the average value of (D), (AAED), and (ELCR) due to background radiation in the soil at 50 cm and 100 cm are 0.01 ± 0.008µSv/h, 0.089 ± 0.073 mSv/y, 0.036,0.017 ± 0.005µSv/h,0.152 ± 0.048 mSv/y and 0.061 respectively. The minimum and maximum values of the Dose rate at 50 cm are (0.005, 0.01µSv/h and 0.016,0.01µSv/h), while at 100 cm are (0.004 0.01µSv/h and 0.13 0.01µSv/h) respectively. The minimum and maximum values of AAED at 50 cm are (0.044 mSv/y and 0.14 mSv/y), while at 100 cm are (0.035 mSv/y and 1.139 mSv/y) respectively. The minimum and maximum values of ELCR at 50 cm are (0.018 and 0.056), and at the same time, at 100 cm are (0.014 and 0.445) respectively. All results are drawn by using a statistical program named SPSS version 26.0 and the GIS system. Therefore, the radiological hazard index and background radiation levels in most soil samples in the study region of Karbala, Iraq, do not threaten human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]