scholarly journals Elemental Analysis and Natural Radioactivity Levels of Clay by Gamma Ray Spectrometer and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. Alharbi ◽  
A. El-Taher

Due to increased global demand for clay, the present work involves the use of INAA for elemental analysis and pollutants concentration in clay. The samples were collected from Aswan in South Egypt. The samples were irradiated using the thermal neutrons “at the TRIGA Mainz research reactor” and at a neutron flux “of 7 × 10 n/cm s”. Twenty-six elements quantitatively and qualitatively were specified for the first time upon studying the samples. The elements determined are U, Th, Ta, Hf, Lu, Eu, Ce, Ba, Sn, Nb, Rb, Zn, Co, Fe, Cr, Sc, Sm, La, Yb, As, Ga, K, Mn, Na, Ti, and Mg. The concentrations of natural radionuclides232Th,226Ra, and40K were also calculated. Based on these concentrations, to estimate the exposure risk for using clay as raw materials in building materials, the radiation hazard indices such as radium equivalent activities, effective doses rate, and the external hazard indices have been computed. The obtained results were compared with analogous studies carried out in other countries and with the UNSCEAR reports.

2011 ◽  
Vol 243-249 ◽  
pp. 6913-6918
Author(s):  
Jian Lu ◽  
Hao Yang ◽  
Ming Li Zhang

In order to invetigate the natural radioactivity levels of typical building materials in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province,China, the specific activities of natural radionuclides (226Ra,232Th and40K) in samples of building materials were measured by ORTEC HPGe gamma ray spectrometer. And the radium equivalent activity, the internal and external exposure index, and relative annual effective dose equivalents were also claculated. The average concentrations of all the samples ranged from 64 to 318.79 Bq·kg-1, 11.35 to 144.83 Bq·kg-1and 92.57 to 951.68 Bq·kg-1for226Ra,232Th and40K, respectively. Their average values were in the ranges: 0.33-1.50 for the internal exposure index (Ira); 0.29-1.51 for the external exposure index (Ir); 0.34-1.74 mSv·a-1 for HEextand 0.36-1.76 mSv·a-1for HEint. The average radium equivalent activity varied from 106.49 to 541.77 Bq·kg-1. According to the standard, most samples were in a lower radioactivity level expect a few of artificial tiles. But, we must perfect detection and management system of many materials to ensure radiation safety and physical health.


2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahir Sofilić ◽  
Delko Barišić ◽  
Una Sofilić ◽  
Marija Đuroković

Radioactivity of some building and raw materials used in Croatia In the present study, the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K in some building and raw materials used in Croatia were measured by using a gamma-ray spectrometer with the HPGe detector. The average activity concentrations of the studied different building and raw materials ranged from 11.6 ± 1.7 (concrete) to 251.2 ± 25.7 Bqkg-1 (GBFS), 14.0 ± 2.7 (concrete) to 54.4 ± 8.3 (coal fly ash) and 147.2 ± 19.0 (concrete) to 773.7 ± 82.0 Bqkg-1 (tuff) for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. Radium equivalent activity, activity concentration index, absorbed gamma dose rate indoor due to the external exposure and corresponding annual effective dose were determined to estimate the exposure risk arising due to the use of these building and raw materials.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil M. Hassan ◽  
N. A. Mansour ◽  
M. Fayez-Hassan ◽  
Samar Fares

The concentrations of 238 U (226Ra), 232Th, and 40K for the commonly used decorative building materials (15 marble and 15 ceramic) in Egypt were measured using gamma spectroscopy system. Radionuclides concentrations in marble samples were ranged from: ND to 49.92 ± 7.74 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 8.30 ± 1.70 to 119.52 ± 16.00 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, and 32.60 ± 4.25 to 2238.33 ± 242.66 Bq kg−1 for 40K while in ceramic samples the concentration ranged from: 28.42 ± 5.41 to 118.70 ± 20.34 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 30.65 ± 5.49 to 114.15 ± 18.78 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, and 389.54 ± 49.57 to 1069.83 ± 124.50 Bq kg−1 for 40K, respectively. These results imply that radium and thorium concentrations were below the worldwide recommended values but potassium was above the standard guideline. Radiological hazards indices of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external and internal hazard indices: Hex and Hin, respectively, and annual effective doses of the investigated materials due to the presence of those radionuclides were calculated and had values less than the worldwide recommended values of 370 Bq kg−1, unity and 1 mSv y−1, respectively. Therefore, the studied types of marble and ceramic can be safely used as decorative building materials.


Author(s):  
Somsavath LEUANGTAKOUN

This paper presented the method of determining the radioactivity of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th in soil samples by gamma-ray spectrometer using NaI (Tl) scintillation detector. The radioactivity of each isotope is calculated based on the net count rate in the energy window characteristic for the 40K, 226Ra and 232Th radioisotopes respectively. We have determined  activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides 226Ra,232Th and 40K in 15 soil samples collected around gold mines of Khamkeut district, Bolikhamxay Province, Laos. The average activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are 46.58  ±  7.36 , 71.19  ±  5.42 and 574.62  ±  25.02 Bq.kg-1, respectively. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th in this work are higher than those of Bolikhamxay Province, Laos and the world average values. The estimated average outdoor annual effective dose (E) and radium equivalent actitvity (Raeq) are 0.10  ±  0.004 mSv.yr-1 and 192.64  ±  16.12 Bq.kg-1, respectively.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 286-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rohit Mehra ◽  
Sarabjot Kaur ◽  
Rajat Prakash

As for all materials of mineral origin, fly ash contains natural radionuclides such as 226Ra, 232Th and 40K which contribute to radiation exposure. The present study is aimed to investigate variation of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) in Ordinary Portland Cement due to variation in the concentration of fly ash. For this purpose, seven cement–fly ash mixtures were experimentally tested for radiological content with NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometer. From the measured gamma-ray spectra, radium equivalent, hazard indices, gamma index, annual effective and gonadal dose were determined. Radium equivalent for samples ranged from 209.53 Bq kg−1 to 336.06 Bq kg−1 with a mean of 265.41 Bq kg−1. The external and internal hazard indices varied from 0.57 to 0.91 Bq kg−1 and 0.64 to 1.13 Bq kg−1, respectively. The gamma index exceeded unity for samples with fly ash concentration greater than or equal to 20% by mass. The average annual effective and gonadal dose from different cement–fly ash mixtures was 0.92 mSv y−1 and 0.95 mSv y−1, respectively. The study demonstrated that as concentration of fly ash increased in the cement, the concentration of 226Ra and 232Th also increased, whereas 40K content remained the same for all practical purposes.


Author(s):  
Maryna Сhyrkina ◽  
Evgen Slepuzhnikov ◽  
Serhii Shevchenko

Radiation safety is one of the most important hygienic criteria for environmental safety of a material. Great influence on man and his ecological safety are building materials, which contain substances with a certain content of natural radionuclides. Knowledge of the regularity of the distribution of natural radionuclides in the structure of man-made raw materials, as well as their behavior in the process of technological processing into building materials are very valuable. After all, even at the design stage, you can assess their content in the finished products and make timely adjustments to prevent recycling of building materials and protect human health. The authors assessed the radiation hazard of secondary man-made raw materials according to international standards and showed that slag samples are radiation-safe and can be used as a building material without any significant radiological threat to the population.


Nukleonika ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
Monika Śleziak ◽  
Marek Duliński

Abstract The isotope activity concentration of rocks and bottom sediments was evaluated based on the samples collected from sedimentation ponds and gangue repositories. Radium 226Ra, thorium 228Th and potassium 40K activities were measured by gamma spectrometry using high-purity germanium detector – HPGe 4020. The radiation effect resulting from the presence of natural radionuclides was estimated by radiological hazard indices such as f1 and f2 coefficients, radium equivalent, internal and external hazard indices and absorbed dose rate. Performed measurements and calculations have shown that the bottom sediments are most contaminated. They may pose a serious radiological hazard for present and future generations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mst Najnin Aktar ◽  
Suranjan Kumar Das ◽  
Selina Yeasmin ◽  
MM Mahfuz Siraz ◽  
AFM Mizanur Rahman

The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides and radiological hazard indices in eleven tea samples collected from local market in Bangladesh have been analyzed by using High Purity Germanium (HPGe) Detector. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in tea samples have been found to be 21.21±14.04, 32.43±7.48 and 93.47 ± 43.94 Bqkg-1 respectively. The calculated absorbed dose rates due to these radioactive nuclides in tea samples have been found to vary from 26.24 nGyh-1 to 37.95 nGyh-1 and average value was 33.28 nGyh-1. The estimated outdoor annual effective dose rates varied from 38.64  µSvy-1 to 55.89 µSvy-1 with the mean value of 49.02 µSvy-1 which is less than the world average value of 1000 µSvy-1. The values of radium equivalent activity in all samples are less than the permissible maximum value of the radium equivalent activity which is 370 Bqkg-1 according to UNSCEAR 2000 report. The values of external and internal hazard indices for different samples varied from 0.16 to 0.23 with the average value of 0.20 and from 0.21 to 0.29 with an average of 0.26. The value of this index must be less than unity in order to keep the radiation hazard insignificant. It was also found that there is no artificial radionuclide (for example 137Cs) in any of the samples. The data generated in this study will provide baseline radiometric values for natural and artificial radioactivity in tea samples in Bangladesh. Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 42, No. 2, 171-176, 2018


2018 ◽  
Vol 185 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
M J Madruga ◽  
C Miró ◽  
M Reis ◽  
L Silva

Abstract Building materials from Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) were collected and analysed for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K using HPGe gamma-ray spectrometers. The results show that the highest mean value of 226Ra and 232Th activities are 2168 and 390 Bq kg−1, respectively, measured in zircon. For 40K, this value is 1290 Bq kg−1, measured in granite. The mean concentrations of the three radionuclides in the different building materials, excluding the zircon and the industrial by-products (ashes, gypsum and phosphogypsum), are 62, 31 and 519 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The radiological health hazard parameters: radium equivalent activity (Raeq), activity concentration index (I) absorbed and effective dose rates, associated with these radionuclides, were evaluated. These values are within the EU recommended limits in building materials, except for same samples of aggregates, granites, ceramics, phosphogypsum and zircon. This study will contribute for the worldwide data pooling on the radioactivity of the building materials.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Willis Otieno Gor Odongo ◽  
Nadir Hashim ◽  
Margaret Wairimu Chege

In this study, the activity concentration levels of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in sand samples collected from Shanzu, Nyali, Kenyatta, Tiwi, Shelly, and Diani beaches selected along the Kenyan coastline were determined using a gamma ray spectrometer with a NaI(Tl) detector. The average activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in sand samples were analyzed as 87 ± 4, 98 ± 4, and 1254 ± 62 Bq/kg, respectively. Also, radium equivalent (Raeq) activity and internal (Hin) and external (Hex) hazard index were calculated to assess the radiological hazards associated with the use of sand samples as building materials. The average values of Raeq, Hin, and Hex were found as 327 ± 16 Bq/kg, 0.98, and 0.72, respectively. The average values of outdoor and indoor annual effective dose rates were estimated as of 0.23 and 0.63 mSv/y, respectively, which are below maximum recommended limit of 1 mSv/y. Generally, these results indicate no significant radiological health hazards for the studied beaches.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document