The radiation hazards of some radio-elements in petroleum and phosphate regions along the Red Sea, Egypt

The activities of 226Ra, 232Th and 4'0K were measured using gamma ray spectrophotometer as well as the radiological hazard parameters were calculated in the marine sediments at two industrial regions along the Red Sea coast; oil and gas industry at Rasel Behar and phosphate mining, milling and shipping at Hamrawin. 226Ra, 232Th and 40K at Rasel Behar recorded the average activities of, 15.2±6.3, 16.2±8.7 and 330.7±107.1 Bq/kg and at Hamrawin were; 114.2±134.5, 14.8±17.2 and 253.9±78.1 Bq/kg respectively. The averages of the absorbed dose rates (D), the annual effective dose rate (mSv/y), radium equivalent (Raeq), the external hazard index (Hex) and the internal hazard index (Hin) and the representative level index (Iγr) at Rasel Behar were; 30.7 nGy/h, 0.04 mSv/y, 63.8 Bq/kg, 0.2, 0.5 and 0.2 and at Hamrawin were; 72.35 nGy/h, 0.09 mSv/y, 154.9 Bq/kg, 0.42, 0.73 and 1.08 respectively. The calculated radiation hazard parameters at Rasel Behar were lower than the global average and most studies in the Red Sea, while at Hamrawin were higher than the calculated averages in the Red Sea and some parameters; (Hex, Hin and Iγr) exceeded the unity and out of the human health safe limit and it may be harmful to the peoples in the region