NORM in the Surface Sediments of Iraqi International Marine Waters

Most radioactivity studies focus on the activity concentration of 232Th and 238U which are associated with heavy minerals, as well as 40K which associated with clay minerals. Within this study samples of surface sediments were collected from three sites 5, 7, and 11 along Khor Abdullah within Iraqi National Waters in order to document activity concentrations of radionuclides, 226Ra, 232Th, 238U, and 40K. Core sediments were investigated as well for determination of TOC. For studied radionuclides, levels recorded were 3.22 ± 0.59 – 37.6 ± 9.9 Bq/kg for 226Ra, 0.1 ± 0.1 – 6 ± 1.6 Bq/kg for 232Th, 1.02 ± 0.2-- 2.7 ±1.2 Bq/kg for 238U, and 124.09 ± 10 – 548.36 ± 44 Bq/kg for 40K. which are comparable to word wide levels. For TOC values recorded in bottom surface sediments from the three sites were 0.919% in site No. 2 to 1.904 % in site No. 1 Which were higher than levels reported in the same sites earlier averaged as 0.53 % . Radium equivalent activity was calculated for the sediments of Khor Abdullah and recorded as 51 Bq/kg which is quite low compared to the world wide level of 350 Bq/kg.