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Optical studies have been performed on amorphous films of the system Ge10Se90-xTex where (x = 20, 30, 40). The study revealed that as the Te content is increased, the optical band gap (Eg) was found to decrease. Photoinduced effects were studied on thin films samples irradiated with either white light or uv light. The shift in Eg due to photoirradiation disappears upon annealing the films at a temperature below the glass transition temperature. The effect of γ-radiation up to 8 kGy on the optical band gap was also investigated, and no detectable shift of the optical band gap was observed. The relationship between the optical band gap and both the average heat of atomization and the average coordination number of the compositions under investigation was studied.

Indoor radon has been recognized as one of the health hazards for mankind. Common building materials used for construction of houses, which are considered as one of the major sources of this gas in indoor environment, have been studied for exhalation rate of radon. Non-nuclear industries, such as coal fired power plants or fertilizer production facilities, generate large amounts of waste gypsum as by-products. Compared to other building materials waste gypsum from fertilizer production facilities (phosphogypsum) shows increased rates of radon exhalation. In the present, investigation solid state alpha track detectors, CR-39 plastic detectors, were used to measure the indoor radon concentration and the radon exhalation rates from some building materials used in Egypt. The indoor radon concentration and the radon exhalation rate ranges were found to be 24-55 Bq m(-3 )and 11-223 mBq m(-2) h(-1), respectively. The effective dose equivalent range for the indoor was found 0.6-1.4 mSv y(-1). The equilibrium factor between radon and its daughters increased with the increase of relative humidity.

The paper presents the results of radon concentration measurements in the vicinity of water, indoor air and in contact to building walls. The investigations were carried out using CR-39 track detectors. Samples of ground water flowing out of many springs mostly in Arabian Gulf area except one from Germany have been studied. The results are compared with international recommendations and the values are found to be lower than the recommended value. Measuring the mean indoor radon concentrations in air and in contact to building walls in the dwellings of Kuwait University Campus were found 24.2 +/- 7.7, and 462 +/- 422 Bq m(-3) respectively. These values lead to average effective dose equivalent rates of 1.3 +/- 0.4 and 23 +/- 21 mSv year(-1), respectively.

Measurements of indoor radon concentrations were performed in 25 classrooms in the capital city of Kuwait from September 2003 to March 2004 using track etch detectors. The investigation was focused on area, ventilation, windows, air conditioners, fans, and floor number. All the schools have nearly the same design. Mean indoor radon concentration was higher for case subjects (classrooms) than for control subjects (locations in inert gas, p < 0.001). The mean alpha dose equivalent rate for case subjects, 0.97 +/- 0.25 mSv y, was higher than the radiation dose equivalent rate value of control subjects, 0.43 +/- 0.11 mSv y. The average radon concentrations were found to be 16 +/- 4 Bq m for the first floor and 19 +/- 4.8 Bq m for the second floor after subtraction of the control. These values lead to average effective dose equivalent rates of 0.40 +/- 0.10 and 0.48 +/- 0.12 mSv y, respectively. The equilibrium factor between radon and its progeny was found to be 0.6 +/- 0.2.

Radon-222 exhalation from different ceramic tiles depends upon the radium ( 226 Ra) concentration and porosity. Raw zirconium sand is one of the substances widely used in the ceramic industry and it is naturally radioactive. This can produce unjustified concern and subsequently perturb the market of these products. The radon exhalation rates for all ceramic tile companies were in the ranges 28-44 mBq.m -2 .h -1 and 2.0 to 4.8 mBq.kg -1 .h -1 . The porosity of ceramic tiles is in the range 0.19-0.28. The radium activity of ceramic tiles was found to be in the range 16-38 Bq.kg -1 for the glazed surface and 23-64 Bq.kg -1 for the clay surface, respectively. The average equivalent dose in contact with the ceramic surface was found to be 22 mSv.y -1 . The exposure at working level at the ceramic tile surface was in the range 2.4-3.8 WL. This gives a risk indication to people who spend a long time in closed ceramic tile stores, who should avoid staying for a long time in such places.

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