Soil radioactivity levels and radiation exposure to the population in Aswan and Abu Simbel areas, South of Egypt

Gamma-ray spectrometer and Lucas cell were used to evaluate the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 222Rn mass exhalation rates for 37 topsoil samples from different sites in Aswan city, Aswan-Abu Simbel highway, and Abu Simbel village, south of Egypt. The average activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K was 23.3 ± 1.7, 21.1 ± 1.2, and 283.4 ± 22.3; 21.2 ± 1.7, 15.2 ± 1.0, and 89.4 ± 10.5; 29.0 ± 2.2, 26.3 ± 1.5, and 79.5 ± 9.7 Bq kg−1 for soil from Aswan city; Aswan-Abu Simbel highway; and Abu Simbel village, respectively. Activity ratios for the studied radionuclides were calculated, and 232Th/226Ra ratios in most of the sampling sites were