Determination of natural radioactivity of soil in Zakho city in (Duhok-Iraq)

In this study, the determination of the level of natural radioactivity in 23 soil samples taken different regions of (Zakho) of Iraq by using gamma spectrometry system. The gamma-ray spectra of the collected samples were measured by using NaI (Tl) detector and the specific activities of 238U, 232Th and 40K were identified from these spectra. It was found that the activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K were ranging from 5.47 ±1.45 Bq/kg to 72.10±18.01 Bq/kg, 2.93 ±1.32Bq/kg to71.92 ±18.11 Bq/kg and 235.74 ±42.41 Bq/kg to 631.41 ±41.5 Bq/kg, respectively. The absorbed dose rate indoor, the absorbed dose rate outdoor, the annual effective dose, the radium equivalent activity, the external hazard index, the internal hazard index and the gamma index were also found to be ranging from 54.24 nGy/h to 170.84 nGy/h, 38.17 nGy/h to 105.83 nGy/h, 0.26 mSv/y to 0.83 mSv/y, 62.04 Bq/kg to 197.32 Bq/kg, 0.167 to 0.532, 0.196 to 0.727, 0.209 to 0.713, respectively. In conclusion, the results indicate that there is no radiological hazard in the region of Zakho.