Abstract
Palm pits are used in various human and animal feed products. In this study, the natural radioactivity levels from soil and date palm pits of 9 samples collected from major date palm farms in three different regions (Buraidah, Al-Zulfi and Al-Majmaah) of Saudi Arabia were determined by using the high purity germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometer. The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K in soil samples were 12.8 ± 2.2, 10.2 ± 2.1, 0.28 ± 0.10 and 329 ± 87 Bg kg−1, respectively. Similarly the mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in date palm pits were 5.6 ± 1.2, 2.8 ± 0.4 and 181 ± 17 Bq kg−1, respectively, whereas 137Cs could not be detected. The geometric mean of TF values (geometric standard deviation in parentheses) of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were 0.33 (2.1), 0.22 (1.8) and 0.51 (2.0), respectively.
•The levels of radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs &40K) both in soil and date palm pits were investigated by gamma-ray spectroscopy.•226Ra, 232Th and 40K concentrations both in soil and date palm pits samples were estimated.•The mean activity concentration of 137Cs in the soil samples was 0.28 ± 0.1 Bq kg−1 while in date palm pits, it has not been detected.•Transfer factor from soil-to-date palm pits was also estimated.•The levels of radionuclides and transfer factor from soil-to-date palm pits were compared with other foodstuff (nuts, grains and those fruits are considered which contain a big non-edible seed like date palm pits) and recent default values of IAEA.