Survey of Low Background Radiation in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract

A survey of the α (Alpha) and β (Beta)low background radiation level (LBRL) at the Kingdom of Bahrain is reported herein.2 grams samples were collected from the soil at the surface and at a certain depth of terrestrial and coastal areas. The possibility of the existence of nuclear pollution or radioactive sources is investigated. The weighted average for α - LBRL was 22.63 pCi, for samples taken from the terrestrial surface, and 21.21 pCi, for samples taken from a certain depth. For the coastal areas the LBRL was 14.17 pCi and 10.86 pCi, respectively. The weighted average for β- LBRL was 51.63pCi, for samples taken from the terrestrial surface and 47.10 pCi, for samples taken from a certain depth. For samples taken from the coastal areas it was 32.7 pCi and 28.47 pCi, respectively. The unweighted average of α -LBRL was 25.78 pCi, for samples taken from the terrestrial surface, and 23.85 pCi, for samples taken from a certain depth; For β-LBRL the average values were 55.56 and 51.30 pCi, respectively. Isa Town region had the highest average measured terrestrial α- LBRL (68.36 pCi for surface samples and 78.97 pCi at a certain depth), while the lowest was in Sitra (12.98 pCi and 12.75pCi, respectively). Meanwhile, the highest terrestrial average β- LBRL was measured in Isa Town (123.48 pCi for surface samples and 137 pCi for samples taken from a certain depth), while the lowest was in Sitra (30.42 pCi and 28.67pCi, respectively). The highest measured coastal α- LBRL was in Hidd beach (27.98pCi for surface samples and 18.21 pCi for samples taken from a certain depth), while the lowest was in Belajaljazair (4.99 and 6.38pCi ,respectively).The highest measured coastal β- LBRL was in Hidd region (52.14pCi for surface samples), but the highest for samples taken at a certain depth was in Manama port(55.18pCi).The lowest coastal average β- LBRL was in Halat Alsalath (5.33pCi for samples taken from surface ), while its in Hidd for samples taken from a certain depth(0.236 pCi). The ratio of αsur to α dep as well as βsur to βdep in terrestrial region in Bahrain was found equal to 1.08 for both, when it was unweighted and 1.06 and 1.09 respectively, when they are weighted. This indicates that no major nuclear fallout on the kingdom or no nuclear emission from underground.