A PRELIMINARY INDOOR GAMMA-RAY MEASUREMENTS IN SOME OF THE BUILDINGS AT KARADENİZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY (TRABZON, TURKEY) CAMPUS AREA

Abstract

Indoor gamma radiation dose rate and natural radionuclide concentrations (²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K) are measured inside former Geoscience Faculty Buildings of Karadeniz Technical University in Trabzon using a 512-channel portable gamma-ray spectrometer with a sodium iodide during the six-month period. Spectrometry data are collected on all floors for each building. The average radionuclide concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and dose rate in the buildings are 4.07 ppm, 11.58 ppm, % 1.98 and 79.03 nGy/h for Dean Building, 4.81 ppm, 13.38 ppm, % 2.52 and 94.2 nGy/h for Geophysical Engineering Building, 4.03 ppm, 13.14 ppm, %2.59 and 89.99 nGy/h for Geology Engineering Building, 3.76 ppm, 14.15 ppm, %2.68 and 92.34 nGy/h for Geomatics Engineering Building,  respectively. In addition to this,  the radiation hazard parameters (absorbed dose in the air, radium equivalent activity, internal hazard index and annual effective dose equivalent) for indoor environment are calculated and then jointly interpreted in order to find out the whether a radiological hazard exists in these buildings. As the result from this study, there is no significant radiologic hazard for human in studied buildings.

Keywords

• -

References

1. AHMAD, N., MATIULLAH HUSSAIN, A.J.A. (1988), Natural radioactivity in Jordan soil and building materials and the associated radiation hazards, J. Environ. Radioactivity 39, p. 9–22.
2. AL-SALEH, F.S. (2007), Measurements of indoor gamma radiation and radon concentrations in dwellings of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 65, p.843-848.
3. ALI, S., TUFAIL, M., JARNIL, K., AHMAD, A., KHAN, H.A. (1996), Gamma ray activities and dose rate of brick samples from some areas of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Pakistan, Sci. Total Environ. 187, p. 247–252.
4. AMRANI, D., TAHTAT., M. (2001), Natural radioactivity in Algerian building materials, Int. J. App. Rad. Isot. 54, p. 687–689.
5. ATSDR, (1999), Toxicological Profile For Ionizing Radiation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
6. BALCIOĞLU, S., APAYDIN, E. (2013), Determination of Indoor and Outdoor Natural Gamma Radiation Using Gamma-Ray Spectrometry Method in Former Geoscience Faculty Buildings of Karadeniz Technical University, Unpublished undergraduate thesis, Trabzon, Turkey.
7. BERETKA, J., MATHEW, P.J. (1985), Natural radioactivity of Australian building materials, industrial wastes and by-products, Health Phys. 48, p. 87–95.
8. CHONG, C.S., AHMAD, G.U. (1982), Gamma activity in building materials in West Malaysia, Health Phys.. 43, p. 272–273.

9. ÇINAR, H., ALTUNDAŞ, S., APAYDIN, E., BALCIOĞLU, S. (2013), Determination of Indoor Gamma Radiation Using Gamma-Ray Spectrometry Method in Former Geoscience Faculty Buildings of Karadeniz Technical University, The 20Th International Geophysical Congress-Exhibition of Turkey.
10. EL-ARABI, (2005), Natural Radioactivity in sand and in thermal therapy at the Red Sea Coasts, J. Environ. Radioactivity 81, p.11.
11. EL-TAHAWY, M.S., HIGGY, R.H. (1995), Natural radioactivity in different types of bricks fabricated and used in Cario region, Appl. Rad. Isot. 46 (12), p. 1401–1406.
12. HAZRATI, S., SADEGHI, H., AMANI, M., ALIZADEH, B., FAKHIMI, H., RAHIMZADEH, S. (2010), Assessment of gamma dose rate in indoor environments in selected districts of Ardabil Province, Northwestern Iran, Int. J. Occup. Hyg. 2, p. 42-45.
13. KHAN, K., ASLAM, M., ORFI, S.D., KHAN, H.M. (2002), Norm and associated radiation hazards in bricks fabricated in various localities of the north–west Frontier Province (Pakistan), J. Environ. Radioact. 58, p. 59–66.
14. KUMAR, A., KUMAR, M., SINGH, B., SINGH, S. (2003), Natural activities of 238U, 232Th and 40K in some Indian Building materials, Rad.Mes. 36, p. 465–469.
15. IAEA, (1989), Construction and use of calibration facilities for radiometric field equipment, In: Proceedings of IAEA technical reports series 309, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna.
16. ICRP, (1993), International Commission on Radiological Protection, publication 65,Annals of the ICRP 23(2), Pergamon press, Oxford.
17. MCAULAY, I.R., MORAN, D. (1988), Natural Radioactivity in soil in the republic of Ireland, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 24, p. 47–79.
18. MOLLAH, A.S., AHMAD, G.U., HUSAIN, S.R., RAHMAN, M.M. (1986), The natural Radioactivity of some building materials used in Bangladesh, Health Phys. 50, p. 849–851.
19. RAVISANKAR, R., VANASUNDARI, K., CHANDRASEKARAN, A., RAJALAKSHMI A., SUGANYA, M., VIJAYAGOPAL, P., MEENAKSHISUNDARAM, V. (2012), Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India using gamma-ray spectrometry, Applied Radiation and Isotopes 70, p. 699–704.
20. SIVAKUMAR, R., SELVASEKARAPANDIAN, S., MUGUNTHAMANIKANDAN, N., RAGHUNATHB, V.M. (2002), Indoor gamma dose measurements in Gudalore (India) using TLD, Applied Radiation and Isotopes 56, p. 883–889.
21. STOULOS, S., MANOLOPOULOU, M., PAPASTEFANOU, C. (2003), Assessment of natural radiation exposure and radon exhalation from building materials in Greece, J. Environ. Radioactivity 69, p. 225–240.
22. TUFAIL, M., AKHTAR, N., SKHURRAM, S.J., HAMID, T. (2007), Natural radioactivity hazards of building bricks fabricated from saline soil of two districts of Pakistan, J. Rad. Prot. 27, p. 481–492.
23. UNSCEAR, (1993), Sources effects and risks of ionizing radiation, Report to the General Assembly, With Annexes, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, New York, United Nations.
24. UNSCEAR, (2000), United Nations Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation, Volume I:Sources; Volume II: Effects. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Report to the General Assembly, with scientific annexes. United Nations sales publications E.00.IX.3 and E.00.IX.4. United Nations, New York.
25. VIRESHKUMAR, R., RAJENDRA PRASAD, T.V. (1999), Natural radioactivity of Indian building materials and by-products, App. Rad. Isotopes 51, p. 93–96.
26. ZAIDI, J.H., ARIF, M., AHAMED, S., QURESHI, F. (1999), Determination of natural radioactiviy in Building materials used in Rawalpindi/Isamalabad area by gamma-ray spectrometry and instrumental neutron activiation analysis, App.Rad.Isot. 51, p. 559–564.