Distribution of natural radionuclides and assessment of the associated hazards in the environment of Marsa Alam-Shalateen area, Red Sea coast, Egypt

Radiological aspects of water, soil and shore sediments resources in Marsa Alam-Shalateen area, Red Sea coast, Egypt, were investigated with the aim of presenting background about the radiological levels and assessing the associated hazards. The results of study are intended to support the governmental authorities as regards the future-natural resources management. Sixty nine environmental samples (30 water, 33 soil and 6 shore sediments samples) were collected in 2015 and analyzed for Ra-226 (U-238) series, Th-232 series, K-40 and Cs-137 radionuclides using Hyper-Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector. For all samples, the activity concentrations of Cs-137 radionuclide are under the detection limit of the used analytical procedures. As regards the water resources, the Th-232 activity concentrations in the major part of water samples were under the detection limit. The Ra-226 activity concentrations ranged from