Estimation of Radon Contamination Levels and Associated Radiological Risk in Selected Samples of Wheat Grain, Muthanna Province-Iraq

Radon content levels were carried out in (75) selected samples of wheat grain have been collected from (15) fields in different regions in Muthanna Province, Iraq. The radon measurements were conducted using a CR-39 track detector for three months. Radon concentrations in the samples ranged between (4.12 Bq/m3) and (39.01 Bq/m3) with a mean value of (18.24 Bq/m3). The investigated fields have been divided into two groups depending on the type of irrigation water: groundwater fields and surface water fields. The statistical analysis showed that the groundwater fields pose a higher radon content than the surface water fields. Moreover, the radiological risk has been assessed by calculating the annual effective dose received by the public. The results are within the range of (0.224-1.718 mSvy-1), with a mean value of (0.575 mSvy-1). The results revealed that the investigated samples pose radon levels lower than the allowed values reported by the World Health Organization.