Activities of Some Radionuclides in Some Water, Suspended Matter and Sediment Samples from the Moulouya River Area at the North-East of Morocco

E. Al Ibrahmi; A. Choukri; O.-K. Hakam; S. Chakiri; J.-L. Reyss

doi:10.15866/ireche.v9i3.15162

Activities of Some Radionuclides in Some Water, Suspended Matter and Sediment Samples from the Moulouya River Area at the North-East of Morocco

E. Al Ibrahmi^(1*), A. Choukri⁽²⁾, O.-K. Hakam⁽³⁾, S. Chakiri⁽⁴⁾, J.-L. Reyss⁽⁵⁾

^(*) Corresponding author

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Abstract

Analysis results (238U, 234U, 226Ra, 228Ra activities; 234U/238U, 228Ra/226Ra and 226Ra/238U activity ratios) are reported for 4 sediment and 5 suspended mater samples collected from the Low Moulouya region at the North-east of Morocco and for 18 natural water samples collected from the High Moulouya region (Moulouya river, effluents, wells, springs, lakes, barrages and tap water). For sediment and suspended matter, activities of U and Ra isotopes were measured by gamma spectrometry. For water samples, activities and activity ratios of uranium isotopes were measured by alpha spectrometry whereas those of radium were measured by gamma spectrometry. Uranium and radium activities are higher in sediment and suspended matter than in water samples. They are also higher in suspended matter than in sediments because sediments contain the concentrated leached detrital soils and sable. The measured activities of uranium and radium isotopes in all analysed water samples are comparable to those already published in our previous works except for two samples collected from lakes situated at Zeida area. These lakes are the former sites of mine extraction where the accumulated water is in permanent contact with mines. These mines could contain uranium witch responsible of the relatively elevated activities of 234U and 238U found for the first time in lakes water in Morocco.
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Keywords

Moulouya River; Natural Radioactivity; Natural Water; Sediment; Suspended Mater

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