Surface and Deep Soil 222Rn Gas Exhalation Comparison: A Case Study in Tawke, Duhok, Northern Iraq

Abstract

In this study, 13 different surface locations and 20 mud samples were collected during drilling, from one of the oil wells in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The samples were taken at different well depths. RAD7 technique was used for finding the radon concentration. The smallest values in soil and surface were 14.12±8.59 and 16±4.24Bq/m3 and the highest were 93.25+21.72 and 137±8.76Bq/m3 respectively. The difference in the depth and surface formation shows the surface formation over depth ratio. The exhalation rate recorded value of the surface was generally higher than that of the depth formations. The exhalation results were finally compared with the recommended values of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) levels. The data show that it was less than the standards of IAEA.