Radioactivity of building materials in Mahallat, Iran – an area exposed to a high level of natural background radiation – attenuation of external radiation doses

A. Shahrokhi; M. Adelikhah; S. Chalupnik; E. Kocsis; E. Toth-Bodrogi; T. Kovács

doi:10.3989/mc.2020.03820

Authors

A. Shahrokhi Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1272-4869
M. Adelikhah Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3339-9524
S. Chalupnik Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity, Central Mining Institute https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2792-4954
E. Kocsis Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8532-4009
E. Toth-Bodrogi Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4135-7925
T. Kovács Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2606-0397

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/mc.2020.03820

Keywords:

Building Material, HNBRA, Radiation assessment, Dose rate, Shielding effect

Abstract

In this study, mass activity of naturally occurring radioactive materials were measured in twenty-three building material samples, use extensively in the area exposed to a high level of natural background radiation (Mahallat, Iran), to determine the radioactivity index and changes to the level of indoor gamma radiation. The mass activity of ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K were within the ranges from 18 ± 3 to 44 ± 10 Bq/kg (average of 27 ± 6 Bq/kg), 22 ± 5 to 53 ± 14 Bq/kg (average of 34 ± 6 Bq/kg) and 82 ± 18 to 428 ± 79 Bq/kg (average of 276 ± 58 Bq/kg), respectively. The gamma dose rates for population were estimated between 48 ± 9 and 111 ± 26 nGy/h with exception of radon exhalation from building materials. Since the air kerma rate in the town varies from 0.8 to 4 μGy/h, the attenuation coefficient was calculated for buildings made of the aforementioned materials. Additionally, the annual gamma radiation doses for inhabitants were calculated based on time spent outdoors and indoors.

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