Uranium and thorium concentrations were determined in soil and wild plant samples collected from Wadi El Missikat, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. The U and Th contents are similar to those in Gebel Qattar soil (North Eastern Desert, Egypt), but higher than their corresponding levels in the Earth's crust. The results obtained indicate that the Fagonia boveana plant uptakes and accumulates both elements, but uptakes of Th is higher than U. Fagonia sp. can absorb and accumulate uranium element with 150 times more than the average of world plant uptake. The Zilla spinosa plant was also found to be hyper-accumulator for U and Th and can absorb and accumulate uranium with 48 times more than the average world plant. Analyses of the studied plants show that they are considered hyper-accumulators for uranium and thorium and could be used as candidates for exploration for these elements and phytoremediation of radionuclide-contaminated soils.
Sixty-seven sites of Hafafit pegmatite from the Southeastern Desert of Egypt were investigated radiometrically in the field using an in situ γ-ray spectrometer to determine eU, eTh, and K contents. The obtained results ranged from 0.4 to 6 ppm for eU with a mean value of 2.5 ppm, from 0.2 to 32 ppm for eTh with a mean value of 6.7 ppm, and from 0.7% to 5.4% for K with a mean value of 3.3%. Consequently, the radiological effects from these rocks were estimates by determination of the environmental parameters: gamma activity concentration index Iγ, external hazard index Hex, internal hazard index Hin, external absorbed dose rates in outdoor, and external absorbed dose rates in indoor air. The results obtained in this study showed that values U, Th, and K lie in the range of the acceptable world values. In addition, the calculated radiation hazard parameters (Iγ, Hex, and Hin) have values lower than the world values, while the calculated external absorbed dose rates (Dair) have values higher than the world and Egyptian permissible levels.
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