IMPACTS OF ANTHTROPOGENIC RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION ON HUMAN HEALTH AT AN AREA IN NORTHERN IRAQ

The impacts of an anthropogenic source of radioactive pollution located at Northern Iraq were highlighted. the contamination was due to an accident case at U-radioactive waste grave position, which allows the releasing of Uranium Oxide, the yellow cake, a radioactive pollutant materials on the earth surface and spreads across an area not less than tenths of hectares. Surface sediments and soil samples were taken from sites located within the probable contaminated area itself, in addition to two further sites from two far away villages located downstream next to the contaminated area.

The hazard index (HI) values of the radioactive contamination by Uranium were calculated and shown to be rated from less than 0.01 in upstream site while reach maximum 5.5 downstream the contaminated site. Six localities shows HI values more than 1.0 which is abnormal case for human health safe and over the accepted level of contamination in the soils according to international regularities. The impacts of the contamination advanced throughout the surrounding area specially the downstream sites and already reached the two villages.

According to the official health data from a domestic health center, there are an abnormal increase in the cancer cases after 2003 till now. The reported data for human 45 organs show different ratios of responses to the cancer as follows: 10 organs 0%, 12 organs 50%, 10 organs 100%, 1 organ 200%, 4 organs 300%, 1 organ 400%, 1 organ 500%, 1 organ 800% and 1 cancer case 6400% which is related to the skin. The last ratio is a very good indication for the radioactive air pollution in this area specially for radioactive alpha particle emitters within depleted waste Uranium compounds.