Natural radioactivity in soil samples collected from selected locations in east Jerusalem, West bank - Palestine

This study aims to evaluate the concentrations of 222 Rn, determine radium content, radon exhalation rate, and estimate the annual effective dose in soil samples using CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors. Thirty-two soil samples were collected from various locations in East Jerusalem, both inside and outside the apartheid wall. Radon concentrations were measured using the can technique. The results showed that radon concentrations outside the wall ranged from 46.6 to 395.3 Bq m -3 , with an average of 194.4 ± 131.9 Bq m -3 , while inside the wall, values ranged from 28.0 to 424.8 Bq m -3 , averaging 234.4 ± 135.1 Bq m -3 . The average total annual effective dose was 6.7 ± 4.5 mSv y -1 outside the wall and 8.1 ± 4.6 mSv y -1 inside. Overall, the radon concentration levels and annual effective doses in most samples fall within the action levels recommended by the ICRP (1993) and UNSCEAR (2000). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study conducted in the East Jerusalem area, and its findings provide a valuable reference for future research on the potential health and environmental impacts of radon in this region.