Speaker
Description
Many Arab countries in the Middle East face negative impacts from dust fallout, which includes both natural and human-made radionuclides. This study thoroughly analyses long-term atmospheric radionuclide levels in Kuwait. Over ten years (2013–2022), daily measurements of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides—specifically 137Cs, 7Be and 40K—were collected using the RN40 station. The average concentrations found were 10.51 ± 2.04 μBq m−3 for 137Cs, 11.8 ± 3.7 mBq m−3 for 7Be and 161.7 ± 3.8 μBq m−3 for 40K. The concentration of 7Be in Kuwait aligns with global averages. The level of 137Cs is consistent with earlier reports, although an unusually high value of 407 μBq m−3 was recorded, surpassing previous maximums by 62%. The peak in 137Cs concentration coincided with increased dust storm activity, particularly in 2018, which saw 18 dust events. Dust resuspension, influenced by northwesterly winds during summer, likely transported 137Cs-laden particles from surrounding areas. The detection frequency of 137Cs (10.33%) was similar to previous findings in Kuwait, despite expectations of a decline due to radioactive decay. This suggests that factors such as heightened dust storm activity and reduced rainfall may have contributed to the ongoing presence of 137Cs in the surface air in Kuwait.
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