Radiological Risks Associated with the Use of Some Medicinal Plants in Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the natural radioactivity of some medicinal plants With 17 sample plants commonly used in Sinai, Egypt, and evaluated the radiological risks associated with their use. The study found that the concentration of radon in wild desert plants varied widely, with the highest concentration found in Artemisia tridentata (sagebrush). The concentration of radon in the plants was correlated with the concentration of radium in the soil, and the type of plant. The study also found a moderate correlation between radon concentration in wild desert plants and indoor radon concentration. This means that there is a positive relationship between the two variables, i.e., as the radon concentration in wild desert plants increases, the indoor radon concentration also tends to increase. This correlation is likely due to the fact that radon gas can be released from soil and rocks into the air, and wild desert plants can absorb and release radon. It is important to note that the correlation between radon concentration in wild desert plants and indoor radon concentration is not perfect, as there are other factors that can also affect indoor radon concentrations. The study found that the highest concentration of radon in wild desert plants was found in Larrea tridentata2 (sagebrush), with a concentration of 9.25 Bq/kg. The lowest concentration of radon was found in Al-Hasak, with a concentration of 1.78 Bq/kg. The average concentration of radon in all of the wild desert plant samples was 4.45 Bq/kg. The study also found that the highest concentration of radium in wild desert plants was found in the Booklet tridentata (sagebrush), with a concentration of 190.36 Bq/kg. The lowest concentration of radium was found in Al-Hasak, with a concentration of 43.33 Bq/kg. The average concentration of radium in all of the wild desert plant samples was 0.18 Bq/kg. The study also found that the AEDEin, AEDEout, EM, Radium Concentration, EA, Radon concentration, vary depending on the type of wild desert plant. The highest AEDEin, AEDEout, EM, Radium Concentration and EA, Radon concentration. The lowest AEDEin, AEDEout, EM, Radium Concentration, EA and Radon concentration in Al-Hasak. The study provided shows that the average AEDEin and AEDEout for all of the wild desert plant samples were 64.26 µSv/y and 496.57 µSv/y, respectively. This is well below the international limits. The average Raeq for all of the wild desert plant samples was 251.78 Bq/kg, which is above the international limit. However, it is important to note that the Raeq limit is not a strict limit, and it is possible to have higher levels of Raeq in the environment without any adverse health effects. The UNSCEAR 2000 report sets the following international limits for AEDEin: 1000 µSv/y and AEDEout: 3000 µSv/y.