A study of the natural radioactivity and radon exhalation rate in some cements used in India and its radiological significance

Publication date: Available online 14 September 2015 Source:Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences Author(s): Nisha Sharma, Jaspal Singh, S. Chinna Esakki, R.M. Tripathi The presence of natural radioactivity and radon exhalation from building materials contribute to the radiation dose received by human. So, it is essential to evaluate the activity levels of the primordial radionuclides (238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K) present in the building materials for the assessment of natural radiation dose. Cement is one of the major component of the building materials and is used on a large scale. In the present study, the commercially available cement samples of fifteen different brands were used to study the radon exhalation rate and activity concentration of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K nuclides. The radon exhalation rate was measured using the can technique, while the concentration of radionuclides content was determined by using gamma ray spectroscopy. The radon exhalation rate from different brands of cements was found in the range from 1.56 to 13.1 mBqkg−1h−1 with a mean value of 5.27 mBqkg−1h−1. The specific activity of uranium was found in the range 45.3–218.9 Bqkg−1 with a mean value of 111.2 Bqkg−1; 226Ra from 20.3 to 60.1 Bqkg−1 with a mean value of 35.8 Bqkg−1; 232Th from 18.8 to 60.1 Bqkg−1 with a mean value of 33.2 Bqkg−1 and 40K varied from 160.9 to 248.1 Bqkg−1 with a mean value of 199.1 Bqkg−1. The radiological par...

Source: Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences - September 14, 2015 Category: Physics Source Type: research