DOI: 10.36347/sjpms.2022.v09i04.001

Pages: 33-40

Concentrations of NORM nuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40 K), essential and toxic elements were measured in (10 agricultural soil and 10 irrigation water) samples. The samples were collected randomly from 6 locations, within the plantation area from Makkah region Saudi Arabia. For activity measurements, gamma-ray spectrometry (HPGe) detector was used. In chemical analysis, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission (ICP-OES) and Mas Emission (ICP-MS) Spectrometry were used to measure the concentrations of soil and water respectively. Soil activity concentrations are (18.11, 16.12, 1603.73) Bq/Kg, in water are (1.57, 0.58, 118.44) Bq/l.Radium equivalent activity (Raeq), hazard indices (Hex and Hin) mean values in soil and water are less than the limits (370Bq/ Kg and<1). Mean values of total absorbed dose rate (DR) are greater than 57 (nGy/h) in soil, and less than 71.1 (nGy/h) in water. Annual effective doses (Deff) mean values are greater than 0.07 mSv/y in soil and less than permitted limit 0.41 mSv/y. ICP-OES and ICP-MS were used to measure the concentrations of elements in soil and in water respectively. Esential elements concentrations (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn and Na) in soil are (7.738, 4.061, 5.691, 1.288, 2.778, 0.059, 1.683) higher than the guideline value. Toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn) are within global values except Cr and Ni, they are excesses the permissible limits. Essential elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe) concentrations of water (155.83, 51.34, 343.6, 10.18, N D) are higher than the guideline values. Trace element (Cu, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni,Se, Zn) concentrations are (1.66, 2.64, 0.03, 0.19, 4.95, 9.18, 58.67) are within permissible limits and guideline, except elements (Al, As, Cd, and Pb) are classified as a toxic. Effect of irrigation water containing heavy metals may be a reason for increasing the concentrations of heavy metals in agricultural soil.