ASSESSMENT OF DEPLETED URANIUM CONTAMINATION INSELECTIVE IRAQI SOILS

Abstract

The aim of this research was to measure the radiation exposure rates in three selected locations in southern part of Iraq (two in Nassireya, and one in Amara) resulted from the existence of depleted uranium in soil and metal pieces have been taken from destroyed tank and study mathematically the concentration of Depleted Uranium by its dispersion from soil surface by winds and rains from 2003 to 2007.The exposure rates were measured using inspector device, while depleted uranium contamination in soil samples and tank's metal pieces were detected with Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs).The wind and rain effects were considered in the calculation of dispersion effect on depleted uranium concentration in soil, where the wind effect were calculated with respect to the sites nature and soil conditions, and rain effect with respect to dispersive-convective equation for radionuclide in soil. The results obtained for the exposure rates were high near the penetrated surface, moderate and low in soil and metal pieces. The Depleted Uranium concentration in soil and metal pieces have the highest value in Nassireya .The results from dispersion calculation (wind & rain) showed that the depleted uranium concentration in 2008 will be less than the danger level and in allowable contamination range.