Natural radioactivity (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) and assessment of radiological hazards in the Kestanbol granitoid, Turkey

Abstract

The surveys of natural gamma-emitting radionuclides in rocks and soils from the Ezine plutonic area were conducted during 2007. Direct dose measurement using a survey meter was carried out simultaneously. The present study, which is part of the survey, analysed the activity concentrations of (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K in granitoid samples from all over the region by HPGe gamma spectrometry. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra ranged from 94 to 637 Bq kg(-1), those of (232)Th ranged from 120 to 601 Bq kg(-1)and those of (40)K ranged from 1074 to 1527 Bq kg(-1) in the analysed rock samples from different parts of the pluton. To evaluate the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity in the samples, the absorbed dose rate (D), the annual effective dose rate, the radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)) and the external (H(ex)) hazard index were calculated according to the UNSCEAR 2000 report. The thorium-to-uranium concentration ratios were also estimated.

Activity concentrations and dose rates from decorative granite countertops

“…Numerous works (Abbady et al, 2005;Abdel Hady et al, 1994;El Afifi, 2006;Al-Jarallah, 2001;Al-Jarallah et al, 2005;Arafa, 2004;Asghar et al, 2008;Badhan et al, 2009;Canbaz et al, 2010;El-Amri et al, 2003;Fazal-ur-Rehman et al, 2003;Fokianos et al, 2007;Haquin, 2008;Iqbal et al, 2000;Kitto et al, 2009;Myatt et al, 2010;Mustonen, 1985a,b;Ningappa et al, 2008;Osmanlioglou, 2006;Pavlidou et al, 2006;Rahman et al, 2008;Petropoulos et al, 2002;Quindos et al, 1988;Sahoo et al, 2007;Al-Selah and AlBerzan, 2007;Sengupta et al, 2009;Sonkawade et al, 2008;El-Taher et al, 2007;Tzortzis et al, 2003;Walley El-Dine et al, 2001;Xinwei, 2006;Yang et al, 2005) have quantified the 40 K, U-nat, and 232 Th activity concentrations, in Bq/kg, in specific stones and other building materials. In order to estimate the health risks, these studies commonly provide the values of various hazard indices (Beretka and Matthew, 1985;Malanca et al, 1993;Hayumbu et al, 1995), and/or the dose rates at a distance above a large area of the material using the UNSCEAR scale factors (Beck, 1972;Kohshi et al, 2001;UNSCEAR, 1988;UNSCEAR, 1...…”

Activity concentrations of natural radionuclides and 137Cs in soils of coniferous forest sites in West Anatolia

“…Accordingly, a large number of data exist on the activity concentrations of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in many areas of the world (UNSCEAR 2000) as well as Turkey. Mostly, reported data in Turkey are only related to the agricultural, rural and urban soils; granitic, volcanic, metamorphic rocks and beach-based environment (Canbaz 2007;Ö rgün et al 2007;Yaprak and Aslani 2010;Canbaz et al 2010), while the studies on forest environment are less commonly available Yaprak 2007b, 2008a, b). The present study is therefore the first systematic effort to establish the background radiation levels in the coniferous forest sites of Aegean Region.…”

Evaluation of radionuclide concentrations and associated radiological hazard in marble indices and granite used as building materials in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah

“…Usually, marble and granite have commercial names, petrographic and technological characterizations, and their producer countries identified. Numerous works [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] have quantified the 40 K, Unat , and 232 Th activity concentrations, in units of Bq/kg, in specific stones and other building materials.…”