Occupational exposure to NORM in gold mining areas of northwestern Sudan
This study was carried out to evaluate the distribution of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and radiological hazard indices in the soil of a gold mine in northwestern Sudan using gamma ray spectrometry. The activity concentrations of <sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th and <sup>40</sup>K in the soil samples varies from 2.54 ± 1.70 to 50.67 ± 3.10 Bq/kg, 10.28 ± 4.20 to 39.91 ± 2.10 Bq/kg and 274.64 ± 0.98 to 1625.85 ± 54.40 Bq/kg, respectively. The average activity concentration of <sup>40</sup>K were found to be above the world average. The annual effective dose is 0.05 mSv/year which is lower than the 20 mSv/year recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) guidelines for occupational exposure.
Authors
- Zobair El Afia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1124-6981)
- Modou Niang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6059-5761)
- Hamid Bounouira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2348-7494)
- Minas Elfatih Ahmed
- Ndèye Arame Boye Faye
- M. A. Abbo
Institutions
- Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PK)
- National Centre for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (MA)
- Sudan University of Science and Technology (SD)
- Cheikh Anta Diop University (SN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies
- Published
- 2025-03-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2025.2482799
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.54
Funders
- International Atomic Energy Agency