Multispectral remote sensing and radiometric data for delineating radioelement-enriched zones and their health hazards in Um Domi area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

This study combines fieldwork, remote sensing methods, petrographic, and detection radioactive prospective of the Um Domi rocks to enhance the lithological characterization and deduce the possible harmful effects of radiation exposure on human health. In addition to determine the amounts of 40 K, 238 U, and 232 Th radiation present in these rocks, a number of radiological risk factors are assessed in order to determine the possible negative health effects of radiation exposure. Um Domi trachyte possesses an elevated concentrations of 40 K (1142.45 ± 181.46 Bqkg −1 ), 238 U (1196.60 ± 323.52 Bqkg −1 ), and 232 Th (755.08–444.32 Bqkg −1 ) together with the overall amount (avg. 1897.53 ± 577.03 Bqkg −1 ) employing the NaI (Tl) spectrometer. These outcomes surpass the accepted international norms. A number of radiological components have been used to evaluate the hazard associated with these rocks, and they showed high values relative to the international norms, suggesting substantial impact on the spontaneous gamma radiation released. Utilizing multispectral remote sensing data, it's observed that the clay and OH-bearing minerals are concentrated over granitic rocks, trachyte, and around Um Domi, whereas the altered products of Fe minerals are distributed around the ring of Um Domi. Importantly, it is noticed that the radioactive rich samples are located in the zone of moderate to high concentration of clay and Fe minerals. Additionally, by integrating the potential source rock, high alteration zones, lineament density, major faults, and rock samples containing radioactive mineralization, we can deduced that the radiation potential are structurally controlled.