Assessment of natural radioactivity and the associated hazards in Iranian cement

This paper presents the finding of a study undertaken to determine natural radioactivity and associated hazards in local types of cement in Iran. A total of 42 samples were collected from various manufacturers and suppliers and analysed using a shielded HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer. The specific activities of (232)Th, (226)Ra and (40)K were measured in samples and results ranged from minimum values of 8, 16, 101 Bq kg(1) to maximum values of 17, 43 and 141 Bq kg(1), respectively. On the basis of activity concentration index (I), it could be shown that, the radioactivity of local cement samples was not greater than the established standard values in other countries.