Application of gamma ray spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry for monitoring some radionuclides and heavy metals in sediments from the sudanese red sea coast

A total of 31 surface sediment samples were collected from port-sudan harbour, sawakin harbour and the fringing reefs area that are located along the Sudanese coast of the red sea. The sampling was performed to provide good spatial coverage taking into account man's activity in port-sudan harbour and the fringing reefs area. the bulk samples were analyzed for some natural and anthropogenic radionuclides (226Ra, 228Ra, 40K, 137Cs) using direct gamma-ray spectrometry. Concentration of some heavy metals were determined in five fractions with grain-size of 1.000-0.500 m lm, 0.500-0.250 m lm, 0.250-0.125 m lm, 0.125-0.063 m lm and less than 0.063 m lm. The fractionation process was performed using dry sieving method. A total of 155 sub-samples (fractions) were digested by wet digestion method and analyzed for Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Quality assurance of the obtained data was achieved through the analysis of certified reference materials. the radioactivity concentration ranges of (226Ra, 228Ra, and 40K,) are 2.5-25.1b/kg, 2.1-13.1b q/kg,21.6- 429 Bq/kg, respectively. For (137Cs)measurements, the highest value is 8.3 Bq/kg while most of samples were below the detection limits of the system. The concentration ranges of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb are 53.3-819 mg/kg, 1.4-51 mg/g, 8-131 mg/kg 9.5-113 mg/kg, 18.4-142 mg/kg, and 4.0-26.6 mg/kg, respectively. The granulometric normalization shows that some samples were subjected to anthropogenic activities. This finding was reinforced by results that were obtained from enrichment factor calculations and statistical multivariate analysis that is principal component analysis (Pca), also the Pca indicates that silt/clay fraction (>0.063 m lm ) is the dominant source for the emission of anthropogenic activities. From viewpoint of mineralogical composition the cluster analysis has distributed the samples into tow clusters. Dominant elements in sediments (Mn and Fe ) recorded significant positive correlation with trace elements (Ni,Cu,Zn, and Pb) and natural radionuclides (226Ra, 228Ra, and 40K). (Author)