Heavy metals concentrations and speciation of Pb and Ni in airborne particulate matter over two residential sites in Greater Cairo - reflection from synchrotron radiation.

Synchrotron radiation-based techniques [X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF)] combined with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used for the assessment of heavy metals concentrations as well as lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) speciation in airborne particulate matter (PM) over two residential sites in Greater Cairo. Nineteen 24 h high-volume samples collected at Giza (G) Square and Helwan (H) University (Egypt) were selected for this study. Mean concentrations of heavy metals in PM at both sites were found to have the same descending order of Pb > Cu > Ni > Cd > Co > As, of which concentrations of Pb, Cu, Ni and Cd in H samples were higher than those in G samples.

Distribution of Cs and Sr in selected Egyptian plants after foliar contamination.

The transfer of Cs and Sr from fallout to plants was studied in two successive pot experiments. Five plant species (Oryza Sativa, Tritichum Vulgares, Vicia Faba, Sesamum Orientale and Trifolium Alexandrinum) were grown in pots containing sandy clay loam soil. For simulating foliar contamination, radioactive Cs and Sr solutions were sprayed once with different activity concentrations gently on the shooting system.

Soil-to-plant uptake of Cs and Sr in some Egyptian plants grown in Inshas region, Egypt.

The transfer of Cs and Sr from soil to different plants has been studied in two successive pot field-grown experiments. Five plant species (Oryza Sativa, Tritichum Vulgares, Vicia Faba, Sesamum Orientale and Trifolium Alexandrinum) were grown in pots with sandy clay loam soil contaminated with varying amounts of Cs or Sr. The absorption of the radioisotopes was measured in different parts of the plants and their activity concentration was significantly increased with increasing radioactivity of both radioisotopes in the soil.

EFFECT OF WORKING CONDITIONS AND NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY LEVELS ON OCCUPATIONAL DOSES TO WORKERS OF AN OLD MANGANESE MINE.

The aim of this work was to use RESRAD-Build model to predict the resulting external and internal radiological doses received by the workers of manganese mine located in Southern Sinai. In order to achieve that goal, measurement of the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in rock samples collected from the inside gallery of such mine, using hyper pure germanium (HPGe) detector. Radon gas concentrations were also measured.

Environmental assessment of radionuclides levels and some heavy metals pollution along Gulf of Suez, Egypt.

This work aims to evaluate radioactivity levels of 238U (Ra), Th(Ra), and K and the associated radiological hazard indices, as well as to assess the current status and concentrations of heavy metals along the coastline of the Gulf of Suez, in order to identify potential sources of contamination and to construct radioactivity baseline for this area. Measurements of the activity concentrations of U(Ra), Th(Ra), and K in Bq kg of the collected samples were carried out using high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. Heavy metals in seawater, shore sediment, and algae samples were determined using ICP-OES.