Uosif, Mohamed Amin Mahmoud Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch - Faculty of Science - Physics Department, Egypt

Specific Activity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K for Assessment of Radiation Hazards from Building Materials Commonly Used in Upper Egypt

35957

In this paper, the specific activity of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, and 40K) in some building materials, soil, sand, redbrick, clay brick, limestone, alabaster and marble commonly used in Upper Egypt is presented. Measurements were done by using gamma spectrometry (NaI (Tl) 3″x 3″). Concentrations of natural radionuclides (CRa, CTh and CK), radium equivalent (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), the specific dose rates in door (D) and the annual effective dose (DE) due to gamma radiation from building materials was calculated. Concentrations of natural radionuclides (226Ra and 232Th) are in usual range and below maximal permitted values. The lowest value of (Hex) is 0.15 for sand while the highest one is 0.5 for Redbrick. The ranges of (DE) are between 0.9 and 3.5 μSvy^-1, it is below maximal permitted values, so that examined materials can be used for construction of new buildings (for interior and external works) as well as for covering of pavements, floors, etc.

120

Building materials , activity concentration index , dose rate , annual effective dose

Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Arts and Science Journal of Science

126