Measurement of Natural Radioactivity in Some Commercial Marble Samples Used in Algeria

Year 2019, NSP2018 Special Issue, 155 - 160, 28.03.2019

E. Saadi F. Benrachi M. De Jesus

Abstract

Ionizing radiations emitted by natural radionuclides have always existed in building materials which directly
affect human beings, and can contribute in accumulated dose in long term. The objective of this work was an investigation of
natural radioactivity levels associated radiation
hazard in commercial marble samples used in Algeria. Six samples were collected from marble dealers and were analyzed by gamma spectrometry, using a high resolution HPGe
semi-conductor detector with (1.11 keV for ²¹⁴Bi 609 keV line). The spectra were analyzed using the Genie 2000 software dedicated
to the processing of gamma spectra. The
activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra
and ⁴⁰K were determined; they ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 Bq/kg with an
average concentration value of 0.9 Bq/kg, from 0.5 to 40.3 Bq/kg with a mean
concentration value of 9.3 Bq/kg and
from 0.7 to 38.7 Bq/kg with an average concentration value of 25.5 Bq/kg,
respectively. The results were found to be lower than
the world wide average values. In order to assess the radiological hazard
associated to these radionuclides, radiation hazard parameters and dose
estimations were elaborated.

 

Keywords

Ionizing radiations, Marble, Natural radioactivity, Gamma spectrometry, HPGe detector

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