Authors: O El Samad R Baydoun M Aoun W Zaidan H El Jeaid
Publish Date: 2016/11/02
Volume: 24, Issue: 2, Pages: 2010-2018
Abstract
In the framework of a National Environmental Radiation Survey Program a total of 950 samples were collected and analyzed over 7 years The program covers different compartment of Lebanese environment rivers wells marine samples soil and foodstuff Air was monitored continuously through a radiation early warning network system Data collected from 2009 to 2015 are presented in this work Gross alpha/gross beta values in well samples were below the guidance levels stated by the WHO Cesium137 was detected in milk samples whey and jam However its content was much lower than the national permissible level while its activity concentration in marine samples was lower than the values reported in studies carried out in the Mediterranean Sea The activity concentration of 40K in food samples was comparable to studies carried out in neighboring countries and higher than the content determined in non Mediterranean countries Concerning marine environment the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides 238U 232Th and 40K were comparable to those reported in other studies carried out in different countries As well as their content in rivers and sediments was lower than those reported in neighboring region Potassium40 in food and 210Po in fish were the main contributors to the internal dose The average annual effective dose due to external exposure and internal excluding radon gas which constitutes around 43 of the total dose was found to be lower than the total worldwide value 24 mSv year−1 Iodine131 was detected in grass samples collected in 2011 during Fukushima accident its content ranged from 040 ± 006 to 09 ± 01 Bq kg−1 as well as 137Cs was detected in some seafood samples imported from Japan and neighboring countries Its activity concentration varied between 015 ± 004 and 040 ± 002 Bq kg−1
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