Gamma activity in some environmental samples in south Egypt

As a part of national survey to evaluate natural radioactivity in the environment, concentration levels of natural radioactivity have been analyzed from more than 108 environmental samples taken from Wadi Allaqi area, south Egypt. The distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides of 2 2 6 Ra 2 3 2 Th and 4 0 K in the samples (soil, granite, grass and water) have been measured using a high purity germanium detector. The specific activities in these samples, having a radium equivalent activity of less than 370 Bq.kg - 1 , when evaluated for radiological effects show that all samples meet the external gamma-ray dose limitation of 1.5 mSv.y - 1 . The data presented here will serve as a baseline survey for primordial radionuclide concentrations in igneous and sediment of the area.