An Assessment of Radioactivity and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Dust at Shak El-Thoban Industrial Zone

A.A. Taha, W. M. Abdellah

An investigation was conducted to examine the variation trend of some heavy metal and natural radionuclides concentrations in ambient air at cutting and polishing factories in Shack El-Thoban industrial area, Cairo, Egypt. The present work measures the concentration of some heavy metals such as (Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Aluminium (Al), Cobalt (Co) and Sodium (Na)). The heavy metals were chosen based on the types pollution associated with the industry under this investigation.  Natural radionuclides were determined in the dust attached to aerosol particles that collected on filters by a High-Volume Air Sampler after the desired collection period about 1 h.  The activity of deposited dust was measured by γ-spectrometry for total activity and the trace and heavy metal determination on the collected dust filters by ICPMS.  The data were compared to the air quality standards by the World Health Organization Health (WHO), United state environmental protection (USEPA) and Egyptian regulation.  The evaluated concentrations of trace and heavy metals in ambient air had low concentration compared to the standard.  The radioactivity results indicated that most of the measured natural radionuclides fall within the worldwide averages identified by the United Nations Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. The obtained data could be used as reference data for any future use of modelling purposes for the determination of the annual limit on intake (ALI) for long-lived radioisotopes associated with dust.