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67258

THE ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY OF NATURAL AND MANUFACTURED BUILDING MATERIALS

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Last updated: 04 Jan 2025

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Abstract

Natural radioactivity was estimated in building materials using γ-spectroscopic method. Samples of granite, bricks, concrete and ceramic were collected from different places in Egypt. Samples were prepared for physical and mechanical properties measurements as well as the radioactive content. Gamma spectrometer composed of NaI crystal connected to ORTEC analyzer was used for radioactive measurements. Standard sample was prepared with the same geometry factor in NIS using a standard source traceable to NIST. Data of 238U, 232Th and 40K activities were collected, where the effective dose was calculated by the aid of UNSCEAR. Diffusion equation was used to estimate the Radon animation rate from the building materials used in model rooms estimated. It was found that the average of 238U, 232Th and 40K in the studied materials were for granite 63.4, 2.42, 1010.91 Bq/kg, for bricks   20.12, 3.75, 27.25 Bq/kg and for concrete 34.23, 2.36, 506.357Bq/kg. In spite of using materials with permissible activity concentration, the radon emission in model rooms was beyond the safe limits for inhabitants. The maximum dose from Rn concentration was 1.23 mSv/y. This concentration was affected by the space dimension, passing time and the building material radioactivity as well as ventilation. The most powerful factor affecting the radon concentration is the ventilation.

DOI

10.21608/erjm.2011.67258

Keywords

Properties of materials, Radioactivity, Indoor air, Radon emission

Authors

First Name

M. K.

Last Name

Kama

MiddleName

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Affiliation

Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

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First Name

A. A.

Last Name

Nasser

MiddleName

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Affiliation

Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

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City

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Orcid

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First Name

N. A.

Last Name

Hassan

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

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City

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Orcid

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First Name

A. R.

Last Name

El-Sersy

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Ionizing Radiation Department, National Institute for Standards, Elharam st. Giza, Egypt

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Orcid

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Volume

34

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

10162

Issue Date

2011-01-01

Receive Date

2020-01-02

Publish Date

2011-01-01

Page Start

71

Page End

79

Print ISSN

1110-1180

Online ISSN

3009-6944

Link

https://erjm.journals.ekb.eg/article_67258.html

Detail API

https://erjm.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=67258

Order

8

Type

Original Article

Type Code

1,118

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

ERJ. Engineering Research Journal

Publication Link

https://erjm.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

THE ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY OF NATURAL AND MANUFACTURED BUILDING MATERIALS

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023