Computational dose evaluation on children exposed to natural radioactivity from granitic rocks used as architectural materials

The present study was carried out on commercial types of Aswan granite used as building and decorative materials. Nearly 29 granitic rocks samples from 11 classes (black Aswan, red Aswan, dark Rosa, light Rosa, yellow Verdi, grey Shirka, Gandolla, Forsan, red Nefertiti, Royal, and white Halayeb) were collected from three stations near Aswan city for petrographical description and assessment of natural radioactivity. The petrographical study of granites was conducted by polarized-light microscope in order to determine their mineralogical composition and investigate their texture; the activity of the natural radionuclides 238U, Ra226, 232Th, and 40K was measured by gamma-ray spectrometry with a NaI(Tl) detector. The average values of the activities, 52.2 Bq kg−1, 57.8 Bq kg−1, 31.2 Bq kg−1, and 1055.7 Bq kg−1 of U-238, Th-232, Ra-226, and K-40, respectively, were higher than that the world average values of 35 Bq kg−1, 30 Bq kg−1 and 400 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K, respectively, according to the recommended levels from UNSCEAR reports. The minimum and maximum values obtained were compared with the value ranges from other locations in the Eastern Desert, highlighting the fact that that the maximum values obtained in this work are higher than those in other areas. According to the radiological hazards indices results, most samples lie in the permissible level ranges, suggesting their favorability for use as building materials. In contrast to that, some samples have some environmental parameters higher than the international levels, indicating their unsuitability as building materials.

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Radiological Hazard Evaluation of Some Egyptian Magmatic Rocks Used as Ornamental Stone: Petrography and Natural Radioactivity

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14237290 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (23) ◽

pp. 7290

Author(s):

El Saeed R. Lasheen ◽

Mohammed A. Rashwan ◽

Hamid Osman ◽

Sultan Alamri ◽

Mayeen U. Khandaker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Radioactivity ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Granitic Rocks ◽

Hazard Evaluation ◽

Gamma Ray Spectrometry ◽

Radiological Hazard ◽

Absorbed Dose Rate ◽

Ornamental Stone ◽

Magmatic Rocks ◽

Ornamental Stones

Magmatic rocks represent one of the most significant rocks due to their abundance, durability and appearance; they can be used as ornamental stones in the construction of dwellings. The current study is concerned with the detailed petrography and natural radioactivity of seven magmatic rocks. All are commercial granitic rocks and are identified as black Aswan, Nero Aswan, white Halayeb, Karnak, Verdi, red Hurghada and red Aswan. Their respective mineralogical compositions are classified as porpheritic granodiorite, granodiorite, tonalite, monzogranite, syenogranite, monzogranite and syenogranite. A total of nineteen samples were prepared from these seven rock types in order to assess their suitability as ornamental stones. Concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K radionuclides were measured using NaI (Tl) scintillation gamma-ray spectrometry. Among the studied magmatic rocks, white Halayeb had the lowest average values of 226Ra (15.7 Bq/kg), 232Th (4.71 Bq/kg) and 40K (~292 Bq/kg), all below the UNSCEAR reported average world values or recommended reference limits. In contrast, the other granitic rocks have higher values than the recommended limit. Except for the absorbed dose rate, other radiological hazard parameters including radium equivalent activity, annual effective dose equivalent, external, and internal hazard indices reflect that the White Halyeb rocks are favorable for use as ornamental stone in the construction of luxurious and high-demand residential buildings.

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Investigation of Trace and Critical Elements (Including Actinides) in Flotation Sulphide Concentrates of Kassandra Mines (Chalkidiki, Greece)

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences9040164 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 164 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Evangelos Tzamos ◽

Argyrios Papadopoulos ◽

Giovanni Grieco ◽

Stylianos Stoulos ◽

Micol Bussolesi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Radioactivity ◽

Natural Radionuclides ◽

Granitic Rocks ◽

Critical Element ◽

Critical Elements ◽

Low Concentrations ◽

Element Contents

Pyrite/arsenopyrite (Py-AsPy), galena (PbS), and sphalerite (ZnS) concentrates from the flotation plants of Olympias and Stratoni (Kassandra mines, Chalkidiki, N. Greece) were investigated for their major, trace, minor, and critical element contents, including actinides associated to natural radioactivity. It is revealed that in addition to the Pb, Zn, Ag, and Au being exploited by Hellas Gold S.A., there are also significant concentrations of Sb and Ga (Sb: >0.2 wt.% in PbS concentrate; Ga:25 ppm in ZnS concentrate), but no considerable contents of Bi, Co, V, or REE. Concerning other elements, As was found in elevated concentrations (>1 wt.% in Py-(As)Py-AsPy Olympias concentrate and almost 1 wt.% in Stratoni PbS and ZnS concentrates) together with Cd (specifically in ZnS concentrate). However, actinides occurred in very low concentrations (U < 2 ppm and Th < 0.5 ppm in all examined concentrates), limiting the possibility of natural radioactivity in the Hellas Gold S.A. products. The concentrations of the natural radionuclides (238U, 232Th, and 40K) are much lower than those of commercial granitic rocks, and thus the associated radioactive dose is insignificant.

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Two-dimensional measurement of natural radioactivity of granitic rocks by photostimulated luminescence technique.

GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL ◽

10.2343/geochemj.34.1 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Mihoko Hareyama ◽

Noriyoshi Tsuchiya ◽

Masahiro Takebe ◽

Tadashi Chida

Keyword(s):

Natural Radioactivity ◽

Granitic Rocks ◽

Photostimulated Luminescence ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Dimensional Measurement

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Natural radioactivity concentrations in Alvand granitic rocks in Hamadan, Iran

Radiation Protection and Environment ◽

10.4103/0972-0464.154866 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 132 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R Pourimani ◽

MR Zare ◽

R Ghahri

Keyword(s):

Natural Radioactivity ◽

Granitic Rocks

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Tracking and Evaluating the Concentrations of Natural Radioactivity According to Chemical Composition in the Precambrian and Mesozoic Granitic Rocks in the Jangsu-gun Area, Central Southwestern South Korea

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min11070684 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 684

Author(s):

Sung Won Kim ◽

Weon-Seo Kee ◽

Saro Lee ◽

Byung Choon Lee ◽

Uk Hwan Byun

Keyword(s):

South Korea ◽

Natural Radioactivity ◽

Indoor Radon ◽

Early Jurassic ◽

Granitic Rocks ◽

Late Triassic ◽

Accessory Mineral ◽

Chemical Compositions ◽

Activity Concentrations ◽

The Mean

The Jangsu-gun area in the central Southwestern South Korea consists of a well-preserved Middle Paleoproterozoic gneissic basement, as well as the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic granitic rocks. Here, we present the detailed zircon U-Pb age data and whole-rock chemical compositions, including radioactive elements (e.g., U and Th) and activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K for the Middle Paleoproterozoic gneisses, and Late Triassic and Early Jurassic granitic rocks of the Jangsu-gun area. The Middle Paleoproterozoic gneissic basement, and the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic granitic rocks have ages of ca. 1988 Ma and 1824 Ma, 230 Ma and 187–189 Ma, respectively. Geochemically, the Middle Paleoproterozoic orthogneiss, Late Triassic granites and Early Jurassic granitic rocks show typical arc-related metaluminous to weakly peraluminous fractionated granite features with ASI (aluminum saturation index) values of 0.92 to 1.40. The mean values of U (ppm) and Th (ppm) of the Middle Paleoproterozoic orthogneisses (6.4 and 20.5, respectively), Late Triassic granites (1.5 and 10.9), and Early Jurassic granites (3.5 and 16.5) were similar to those (5 and 15) of the granitic rocks in the Earth’s crust. The mean 226Ra (Bq/kg), 232Th (Bq/kg), and 40K (Bq/kg) activity concentrations and radioactivity concentration index (RCI) are 62, 71, 1,214 and 0.96 for the Middle Paleoproterozoic orthogneisses; 16, 39, 1,614 and 0.78 for the Late Triassic granites; and 56, 70, 1031 and 0.88 for the Early Jurassic granitic rocks, respectively. The U, Th, 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and RCI of the Middle Paleoproterozoic biotite paragneisses are similar to those of the Middle Paleoproterozoic orthogneisses. The trend of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K activity concentrations, and the composition of U and Th from the Precambrian and Mesozoic rocks in the Jangsu-gun area indicates that monazite is the main accessory mineral controlling the concentration of natural radioactivity. Based on a detailed examination of the natural radioactivity in the rocks of the Jangsu-gun area, the Middle Paleoproterozoic orthogneisses and paragneisses, and Late Triassic and Early Jurassic granitic rocks show average high mean RCI values of 0.88−0.96, such that 32% of the rocks exceeded the recommended value of one in the guidelines for the RCI in South Korea. Especially, the RCI is closely related to the radon levels in the rocks. As a result, the Jangsu-gun area in South Korea is a relatively high radiological risk area, which exhibits higher indoor radon levels in the residences, compared with residences in the other areas in South Korea.

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Natural radioactivity distribution and gamma radiation exposure of beach sands from Sithonia Peninsula

Open Geosciences ◽

10.2478/s13533-012-0157-0 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Argyrios Papadopoulos ◽

Georgios Christofides ◽

Antonios Koroneos ◽

Stylianos Stoulos

Keyword(s):

Gamma Radiation ◽

Effective Dose ◽

Natural Radioactivity ◽

Annual Effective Dose ◽

Granitic Rocks ◽

Rock Types ◽

Activity Concentrations ◽

Plutonic Complex ◽

Parent Rocks ◽

Beach Sands

AbstractThis study aims to evaluate the activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, 228Th and 40K along the beaches of Sithonia Peninsula which are adjacent to the rock-types of the Sithonia Plutonic Complex. These range from 6–673, 5–767, 5–1750, 6–1760 and 185–875 Bq/kg respectively. The (% wt.) heavy magnetic (HM) fraction (epidote, allanite, hornblende, biotite and garnet), the heavy non-magnetic (HNM) fraction (monazite, zircon, titanite and apatite) and the total heavy (TH) fraction, were correlated with the concentrations of the measured radionuclides in the bulk samples. The HNM fraction seems to control the activity concentrations of 238U in all samples, while the HM fraction, at least for the heavy mineral rich samples bearing high amounts of epidote crystals with allanite cores, controls their 232Th content. The measured radionuclides in beach sands were normalized to the respective values measured in the granitic rocks, which are their most probable parent rocks, in order to provide data on their enrichment or depletion. The annual effective dose varies from 0.013 to 0.688 mSv y−1 for local people working on the beach, while for tourists the annual external effective dose ranges between 0.003 and 0.165 mSv y−1.

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