Investigation of Natural Radioactivity in Wadi El Reddah Stream Sediments and Its Radiological Implications

Wadi El Reddah has radiation exposure due to the presence of different types of complexed rocks along with a huge sector of Hammamat sedimentary rocks, monzongranites of Gabal El Reddah, perthitic leucogranites of Gabal Gattar, as well as swarms of post-granitic dykes. The studied sediments show wide variation in their uranium, thorium, radium (eU), and potassium (K, %) contents. The U content ranges from 5 to 51 ppm with an average of 17.33 ppm; the Th content, from 16 to 141 pp with an average of 32.47 ppm. Ra (eU) varies from 5 to 26 ppm with an average of 9.56 ppm, and the potassium content ranges from 2.19 to 4.41% with an average of 3.19%. The absorbed dose rate ( D ), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), radium equivalent activity (Ra eq ), external ( H ex ) and internal ( H in ) hazard indices, and the activity gamma index ( I γ ) caused by gamma-emitting natural radionuclides were determined from the obtained values of the 238 U, 232 Th, and 40 K content. Most of the studied samples were out of range with respect to the universal standards.