Radiation hazards in selected areas in the Adham Governorate, southwest of Saudi Arabia

Buildings in Adham, Haqal, and Al Jaizah are constructed on/near granite rocks. They are also surrounded by high granite mountains, along which rainfall effects the livelihood of individual inhabitants. Uranium washed down from mountains has the potential to pollute agricultural activities, pastoral resources, and drinking water sources. Granite contains a high concentration of radioactive elements such as uranium, thorium, and potassium, which produce gamma rays that can cause environmental harm. Radon is produced from the decomposition of uranium and thorium and seeps into closed areas such as homes, offices, or nearby buildings. It also reaches groundwater via dissolved uranium in wells, which are used as a drinking water source and provide water for various agricultural activities. A car-borne gamma-ray spectrometer multichannel Canadian RS-700 device was used for the survey. The uranium, thorium, and potassium contents of these wells were determined, and the radiation dose rate was calculated and determined in units of mSv/year. The radiation dose rate in Haqal was 1.56 mSv/year, with an average value of approximately 0.7 mSv/year and standard deviation ( SD ) 0.18, while the radiation dose rate of Al Jaizah reached 1.17 mSv/year, with an average value of 0.4 mSv/year and SD 0.19, and in the Adham area, the dose rate reached 1.28 mSv/year, with an average value of 0.53 mSv/year and SD 0.14. Seventeen water samples were collected from different drinking water wells to measure their radon concentrations. Durridge Co., USA, Rad-7 radon detector was used to record the results. The standard for radon contamination in drinking water is equal to 11.1 Bq L −1 for public water supplies. The average value was approximately 6, 3.5, and 2.8 times the international limit in Haqal, Adham, and Al Jaizah, respectively.