Abstract
The activity patterns of; 226Ra, 228Ra, 232Th, 40K, 210Pb and 210Po and the interaction with some hydrographic parameters; salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) were studied near the oil production and exploration fields at Rasel Behar and near the phosphate mining, milling and shipping at Hamrawin area. The average activities of 226Ra, 228Ra, 232Th, 40K, 210Pb and 210Po at Resel Behar were; 15.2 ± 6.3, 15.8 ± 8.6, 16.2 ± 8.7, 330.7 ± 107.1, 19.3 ± 12.7 and 27.5 ± 21.18 Bq/kg and at Hamrawin were; 103.9 ± 141.6, 13.4 ± 18.5, 14.1 ± 18.8, 242.6 ± 79.3, 92.3 ± 128.5 and 133.0 ± 184.5 Bq/Kg respectively. The distribution patterns of 226Ra, 228Ra, 232Th and 210Pb at Rasel Baher to the brine water drainage from oil tanks and petroleum production platforms at Jubal Strait. The highest activity values recorded at Hamrawin marine area were concentrated inside the shipping zone and decreasing abruptly seaward and southward indicate to the dropped phosphate raw materials are the main radioactive source in the locality. The activity pattern of 40K indicates to multiple sources of accumulations mostly from the terrestrial runoff.
The negative correlation with pH and salinity as well as the positive correlation with DO indicate that the radionculides in sediments were less soluble with increasing pH and salinity therefore; they tend to accumulate in sediments under more the oxidizing conditions. The 40K variations in the sediments to the high solubility of potassium, the organic matter content and the particle size which corresponds to the clay content.