Radionuclide content of building materials and associated gamma dose rates in Egyptian dwellings

Studies have been carried out to determine the natural radioactivity in some building materials (bricks, tiles, marble and ceramics) and their associated radiation hazard. The radioactivity concentrations of Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 were measured using a gamma spectrometer with a Hp-Ge detector. The activities of U-238 and U-234 were measured using an alpha-spectrometer with a surface barrier detector after applying a radiochemical procedure. The U-234/U-238 isotopic ratios were calculated. The radium equivalent activities and the radiation hazard index associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated. A computer program was developed and applied to calculate the dose rate a person will receive from the walls of a room constructed from the studied building materials. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.