Measurement of natural radioactivity in selected samples of medical plants in Iraq

In present study, natural levels of radiation in some selected medical plants existing in the Iraqi stores were estimated to determine any activity concentration, radium equivalent and internal hazard index due to radionuclide, of 238U, 232Th as well as 40K, which occurs naturally. This activity concentration was identified by gamma-ray spectroscopy (NaI(Tl)). The findings indicate that, the rate of activity concentration for Uranum-238, Thorium-232 and Potasium-40 in the medical plants were (4.953±0.37) Bq.kg-1, (2.916±0.12) Bq.kg-1 and (219.134±2.24) Bq.kg-1 respectively. The values of the radium equivalent ranged from (6.081±0.09) Bq.kg-1 to (44.608±0.46) Bq.kg-1 with the rate of (20.278±0.38) Bq.kg-1, while the values of the internal hazard index ranged from (0.016) to (0.135) with the rate of (0.060). The natural radionuclides and activity of the radium equivalent in the medical plant samples were far below the world for the ingestion of naturally occurring radionuclide provided in UNSCEAR 2000 report. Also there was calculated the internal hazard index for all samples that were less than unity. The samples under study were analysed and discharged, therefore they can no be consumed anymore. Key words: Natural radioactivity, medical plants, gamma-ray spectroscopy, radium equivalent and Iraqi markets.