Natural radioactivity, radon exhalation rates and indoor radon concentration of some granite samples used as construction material in Turkey

It is very important to determine the levels of the natural radioactivity in construction materials and radon exhalation rate from these materials for assessing potential exposure risks for the residents. The present study deals with 22 different granite samples employed as decoration stones in constructions in Turkey. The natural radioactivity in granite samples was measured by gamma-ray spectrometry with an HPGe detector. The activity concentrations of Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 were found to be in the range of 10187, 16354 and 1041630 Bq kg(1), respectively. The radon surface exhalation rate and the radon mass exhalation rate estimated from the measured values of Ra-226 content and material properties varied from 1.3 to 24.8 Bq m(2) h(1) with a mean of 10.51.5 Bq m(2) h(1) and 0.030.64 Bq kg(1) h(1) with a mean of 0.270.04 Bq kg(1) h(1), respectively. Radon concentrations in the room caused from granite samples estimated using a mass balance equation varied from 23 to 461 Bq m(3) with a mean of 19627 Bq m(3). Also the gamma index (I), external indoor annual effective dose (E) and annual effective dose due to the indoor radon exposure (E-Rn) were estimated as the average value of 1.10.1, 0.160.02 mSv and 5.00.7 mSv, respectively, for the granite samples.