Radiation hazard assessment of radioactive elements ²³² Th, ²²⁶ Ra, and ⁴⁰ K in local and imported sugar in Iraqi Kurdistan

Natural radioactivity is receiving a lot of attention worldwide due to its essential role in human health. Sugar is a generic term for sweet, soluble carbohydrates, many of which find their way into food. Therefore, measuring natural radioactivity is critical as it has a direct impact on human safety. This research analyzed natural radionuclide activity levels in 22 samples of commonly consumed sugar from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. High-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors are used in gamma-ray spectrometers. Measurements in this study showed that ²²⁶Ra activity concentrations ranged from below minimum detectable activity (BMDA) to 5.16 ± 2.55 Bq kg^-1 with an average value of 0.80 ± 0.15 Bq kg^-1. In contrast, ²³²Th radionuclide activity concentrations ranged from BMDA to 3.11 ± 1.67 Bq kg^-1 with an average value of 0.51 ± 0.10 Bq kg^-1. Also, the activity concentration of ⁴⁰K ranged from BMDA to 30.71 ± 10.77 Bq kg^-1 with a mean of 6.44 ± 2.54 Bq kg^-1. Based on these results, a radiation risk index associated with sugar intake was calculated. It was verified that the radiation exposure due to sugar consumption in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was below the permissible level of 290 μSv y^-1, and did not pose a radiation risk to public health.