The radioactivity content of soil of wheat fields of all Wasit cities have been measured using gamma spectroscopy adopted with high pure germanium coaxial detector. The specific radioactivities of Ra-226, Ac-228, and K-40 NORM isotopes have been measured. The overall average values of those isotopes for the investigated soil samples were 38.22, 10.67, and 409.4 Bq/kg. The results showed that some fields have higher radioactivity content according to the international agencies, and these results strongly suggested that the farmers don’t washing the fields’ soil.
The total potassium (element) concentration in percentage ratio (K%) has been calculated for wheat and its derivatives (wheat flour, bran, yeast samples) of Wasit mills, and wheat flour samples that used in bakeries distributed in Wasit governorate by measured K-40 radioactive isotope using gamma spectroscopy adopted with high pure germanium coaxial detector. The overall average values of the above investigated samples were; 0.190%, 0.159%, 0.122%, 0.111%, and 0.251%, respectively. In addition, the natural occurring radioactive materials for all samples have been investigated. Except potassium − 40 (K-40), all the measured radioactive isotopes were below the minimum detectable activity of gamma spectroscopy, therefore, even if a more accurate measurement system is used, the specific radioactivity (S.A) of these isotopes are within the international permissible levels. Then, the ingested radiation annual effective dose of the intake K-40 (Eff D) has been calculated, and the results showed that all values within the international allowed values.
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