Assessment of Gamma Dose Rate in Outdoor Environments in Selected Locations of Awjila and Jalu, Southeast Libya

Aims. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the absorbed dose rate of the naturally occurring radioactive nuclides at a height of one meter above earth's surface. Methods. The outdoor radiation exposure dose rates caused by radioactivity concentrations of radionuclides in the soil have been evaluated at several locations in Awjilah and Jalu, Libya, using portable devices RADEX RD 1501 and LB 123. Results. Thirty-seven random sites were examined. The absorbed dosage rate ranged from 34.8357 to 95.7734 nGy/hr in dry air at a height of one meter above the ground, with 77.579 nGy/hr being the average. The calculated average annual outdoor effective dose equivalents are 0.0951 mSv/y. Conclusion. The current data could represent the baseline values of natural radioactivity in the research area since no extreme value was discovered at any of the surveyed sites