Assessment of radionuclide concentrations and radiological safety for seeds and roots parts of selected medicinal plants from Iraq markets

The present study conducted to determine the natural radioactivity levels and evaluate the health impact of 25 samples of seeds and roots of some medicinal plants widely used in Iraq. A ''3×3'' NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectroscopy system was utilized to measure and analyze the specific activities of 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 228Ra, and 40K in the selected samples. The specific activities (Bq/Kg) varied from (5.86 to 1.39) Bq/Kg, (4.36 to 1.62) Bq/Kg, (2.28 to 0.99) Bq/Kg, (7.61 to 1.34) Bq/Kg, and (232.92 to 102.96) Bq/Kg, for 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K, respectively. The average values obtained were 16.7 Bq/Kg for Radium Equivalent activity, 11.866 Bq/Kg for Thorium Equivalent activity, 217.2 Bq/Kg for Potassium Equivalent activity, 8.79 nGy/h for absorbed dose DICRP, 9.068 nGy/h for absorbed dose DBeck, 10.98 nGy/h for absorbed dose DUNSCEAR, 0.049 for internal hazard index, 0.045 for external hazard index, 0.136 Bq/Kg for gamma representative level index, 0.0539 mSv/y for total annual effective dose equivalent, and 0.189×10–3 for total excess lifetime cancer risk. The specific concentration and all the hazard indices associated with it were lower than the maximum permissible limits recommended for safety therefore, there was no threat to the health of the consumer.