Natural radioactivity in Algerian building materials

doi:10.1016/S0969-8043(00)00304-3

Applied Radiation and Isotopes

Volume 54, Issue 4, February 2001, Pages 687-689

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0969-8043(00)00304-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

Samples of natural and manufactured building materials collected from Algiers have been analysed for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K using a high-resolution HPGe γ-spectrometry system. The specific concentrations for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K, from the selected building materials, ranged from (12–65 Bq kg⁻¹), (7–51 Bq kg⁻¹) and (36–675 Bq kg⁻¹), respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the world average activity of soil. Radium-equivalent activities were calculated for the measured samples to assess the radiation hazards arising from using those materials in the construction of dwellings. All building materials showed Ra_eq activities lower than the limit set in the OECD report (370 Bq kg⁻¹), equivalent to external γ-dose of 1.5 mSv yr⁻¹.

Introduction

Naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials are sources of external radiation exposure in dwellings. This radiation is caused by γ-radiation originating from the uranium and thorium series and from ⁴⁰K. Data on natural radioactivity levels in Algerian building materials were not available. Therefore, systematic studies were performed and the activities of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in these building materials have been determined.

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of natural radioactivity in building materials and to estimate the radium-equivalent activities (Ra_eq), which is related to the external γ-dose rates. The results of concentration levels and radium-equivalent activities were compared with the findings of similar studies carried out in other countries.

Section snippets

Samples

The activity levels in building materials were determined from samples collected from hardware stores around Algiers. The materials measured were cement, cement plaster, red clay-brick, marble, ceramic, roof asbestos, gravel aggregate, clay brick, sand and lime/limestone. Gravel aggregate and sand were collected from construction sites. Samples with large grain-size were crushed and milled to a fine powder with a particle size less than 0.25 mm. Each of the materials was homogenised and air

Results and discussion

The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K have been determined for various building materials. The measured average activity values, together with their respective standard deviations (SD), of the above natural radionuclides are presented in Table 1.

As can be seen from Table 1, the activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra of roof asbestos, marble, gravel aggregate, sand and lime/limestone were lower than that of the world average for soil (25 Bq kg⁻¹) (UNSCEAR, 1982). The activity levels of

Conclusion

The radium-equivalent activities obtained for the building materials in this study were all below the criterion limit of γ-radiation dose (1.5 mSv yr⁻¹). Therefore, the use of these materials in construction of dwellings is considered to be safe for inhabitants according to OECD (1979). The results show that four material samples measured, had radium-equivalent activities less than the value for world average in soil (89 Bq kg⁻¹) (Linsalata, 1989; Hayumbu et al., 1995). Studies of external and

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Natural radioactivity in Algerian building materials

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Samples

Results and discussion

Conclusion

Radiat. Phys. Chem.

Natural radioactivity of Australian building materials, industrial wastes and by-products

Health Phys.

Natural radioactivity in Zambian building materials collected from Lusaka

J. Radional. Nucl. Chem.