First characterisation of natural radioactivity in building materials manufactured in Albania

Xhixha, Gerti; Ahmeti, A.; Bezzon, G.; Bitri, M.; Broggini, C.; Buso, G. P.; Caciolli, A.; Callegari, Ivan; Cfarku, Florinda; Colonna, Tommaso; Fiorentini, G.; Guastaldi, Enrico; Mantovani, Fabio; Massa, Giovanni; Menegazzo, R.; Mou, Liliana; Prifti, Dritan; Alvarez, C. Rossi; Kuqi, Dh. Sadiraj; Shyti, Manjola; Tushe, L.; Kaçeli, M. Xhixha; Zyfi, A.

doi:10.1093/rpd/ncs334

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The calculated values of ex for the studied materials ranged from 0.04 to 1.36 (Table 3). The ex values for all investigated samples, except for sample D17, were less than unity (Xhixha et al, 2013).…”

Section: External Hazard Index H Exmentioning

confidence: 74%

Natural radioactivity level of clay, ceramic, and stone cooking dishes in Saudi Arabia

Alharbi¹

2016

Int. J. Phys. Sci.

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Standards and guidelines are needed in the manufacture of household cooking dishes from clay, ceramic, and stone in Saudi Arabia. The radioactivity levels due to the presence of 40 K, 232 Th, and 226 Ra in these materials were determined using gamma spectrometry equipped with high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra ranged from 5.75 Bq kg −1 (Yemen stone sample) to 192.35 Bq kg −1 (China ceramic sample), those of 232 Th ranged from 6.17 Bq kg −1 (Yemen stone sample) to 192.41 Bq kg −1 (China ceramic sample), and those of 40 K ranged from 43.92 Bq kg −1 (clay sample manufactured in Bahrah, Saudi Arabia) to 656.96 Bq kg −1 (ceramic sample from Romania). Radiological indices were measured for all samples to ascertain the potential radiation health hazards. The average concentrations for 226 Ra and 232 Th and the absorbed dose rate (D R) in clay and ceramic dishes exceeded the permissible global limits, with the exception of clay samples from Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The 226 Ra and 232 Th concentrations in all cooking dishes manufactured from stone were within safety limits. However, most of the average values obtained for the activity concentration of 40 K exceeded the recommended limit. The radium equivalent (Ra eq), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AEDE), external hazard index (H ex) , and gamma activity index (I γ) were found to be below the internationally accepted safe limit, except in a ceramic sample imported from China. The sample also had an annual effective dose (AEDE) that slightly above unity. The concentrations of a total of 33 chemical elements were estimated by using an ARL QUANT'X energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. In most samples, the elements' concentrations exceeded the reference level values. In conclusion, care must be taken when using cooking dishes manufactured from clay, ceramic, and stone.

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Section: External Hazard Index H Exmentioning

confidence: 74%

Natural radioactivity level of clay, ceramic, and stone cooking dishes in Saudi Arabia

Alharbi¹

2016

Int. J. Phys. Sci.

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“…The 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K average activity concentrations in the gray and white cements were also compared with results from other countries ( Table 3). The 226 Ra average activity concentration in gray cement was lower than that of Albania [23] and China [24]. It was higher compared to other countries.…”

Section: Ra 232 Th and 40 K Activity Concentrationsmentioning

confidence: 75%

Assessment of natural radioactivity and its radiological hazards in several types of cement used in Senegal

et al. 2020

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In this study, the activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in twenty cement samples of four types (CEM, CEM II, CEM III, and CEM IV) collected from building material suppliers in Senegal were measured using a low-background digital gamma-ray spectrometer equipped with broad energy germanium detector. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K varied from 7.1-150.3 Bq kg −1 , 3.7-16.1 Bq kg −1 , and 48.7-133.9 Bq kg −1 , respectively. Also, possible radiological risks from the usage of these materials were assessed by estimating external and internal index, indoor absorbed gamma dose rate and the corresponding annual effective dose, effective dose rate to different body organs and tissus, and excess lifetime cancer risk. The estimated radiological hazard indices were revised in light of the relevant national and international legislation and guidance. The values of the radiological hazard indices were found to be within relevant all limit values for structural building materials.

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“…rocks, granite, gypsum, clay, etc. or by means of reuse of industrial by-products such as fly ash [6,7], bottom ash [8], phosphogypsum [9], steel slag [10], red mud [11], etc. The minerals contain terrestrial radionuclides from natural origin (U-238 and Th-232 series, furthermore K-40 and their progenies) which do not cause significantly higher radiation exposure than normal background levels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiological evaluation of by-products used in construction and alternative applications; Part I. Preparation of a natural radioactivity database

Sas

Doherty

Kovács

et al. 2017

Construction and Building Materials

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h i g h l i g h t s Manual datamining was used to gather separately reported sample information. 431 by-products and 1095 construction materials were collected from 48 countries. Ra-226, Th-232 content were 2.00 and 2.11 times higher in the case of by-products. Ra equivalent concentration was 1.86 times higher in the case of by-products. I-index >1.0 in the event of 17% of construction materials; 58% of by-products.

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First characterisation of natural radioactivity in building materials manufactured in Albania

Cited by 19 publications

References 17 publications

Natural radioactivity level of clay, ceramic, and stone cooking dishes in Saudi Arabia

Natural radioactivity level of clay, ceramic, and stone cooking dishes in Saudi Arabia

Assessment of natural radioactivity and its radiological hazards in several types of cement used in Senegal

Radiological evaluation of by-products used in construction and alternative applications; Part I. Preparation of a natural radioactivity database

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