Radiological Hazard Assessment of Raw Granites from Ranyah, KSA

Abstract

The assessment of radiological hazard due to external and internal indoor exposure was investigated for 26 raw granites collected from different granite quarries in Ranyah (KSA). The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were measured by highresolution gamma spectrometry. Four granites were classified as "anomalous" due to their relatively high radioactivity. The averages and ranges of their activity concentrations were 667 (305-1120), 320 (161-491) and 586 (282-893) Bq•kg −1 , respectively. The corresponding ones for all remaining 22 granites were 45 (18-77), 39 (16-73) and 1178 (954-1531) Bq•kg −1 , respectively. In accordance with new European Basic Safety Standards (BSS) directives requiring a uniform reference level for indoor external exposure to gamma rays of 1 mSv•y −1 , all 22 granites may be used as bulk or ornamental building materials without any restrictions. Three anomalous granites should be subjected to control to be used as bulk materials. One anomalous granite was categorized as hazardous having an activity concentration index higher than 6. All four anomalous granites exceeded the level of newly adopted reference level of 300 Bq•m −3 for radon indoor exposure in case of poor ventilation. Two of them exceeded even for adequate ventilation.

Experimental Investigation of Mafic Rocks for Carbon Mineralization Prospect

“…Saudi Arabia covers about 90 000 km 2 of Cenozoic volcanic rocks, of either olivine or clinopyroxene phenocrysts Figure is a map of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) showing Cenozoic volcanic fields . Thickness identifications and spatial distributions by performing drilling activities, coring, and geophysical exploration could determine the rock volume.…”

“…Map of KSA showing Cenozoic volcanic fields (number and information in the table gathered from Coleman et al). This figure was reproduced with permission from ref . Copyright 2016 Scientific Research Publishing…”

“…41 Figure 2 is a map of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) showing Cenozoic volcanic fields. 42 Thickness identifications and spatial distributions by performing drilling activities, coring, and geophysical exploration could determine the rock volume.…”

Is there any health danger by radioactivity on the use of dimensional stones?

“…Markkanen 1995;Myatt et al 2010). For this purpose, an array of different parameters is important and needs to be considered, such as the radiation activity of the natural stone used, the total volume of the installed stone, the cumulative daily and yearly duration of residence of a person in the observed room as well as their average distance to the walls (Zeghib et al 2016).…”

“…The dose criteria of 0.3 mSv a −1 and 1.0 mSv a −1 are, respectively, equivalent to an activity index of I ≤ 2 and I ≤ 6. The activity index is useful to categorize the tested materials as I ≤ 2, I ≤ 6, or greater and has been applied in many studies (Joel et al 2018;Markkanen 1995;Zeghib et al 2016). If a material is classified as critical according to this index, more accurate dose measurements should be performed.…”