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Radiological significance of marble used for construction of dwellings in Bangladesh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2012

S. Ghose ,
Kh. Asaduzzaman  and
N. Zaman
S. Ghose*
Affiliation:
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, GPO, Box 158, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Kh. Asaduzzaman
Affiliation:
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, GPO, Box 158, Dhaka, Bangladesh
N. Zaman
Affiliation:
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, GPO, Box 158, Dhaka, Bangladesh
*
*Present Address: Nuclear Safety & Radiation Control Division, 4 Kazi Nauru Islam Avenue, Ramna, Dhaka.
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Abstract

The natural γ-radiation in samples of a variety of marblesimported into Bangladesh for use in building construction was measured,employing γ-ray spectrometry with a HPGe detector. From the measuredγ-ray spectra, activity concentrations were determined for 226Ra(29.31 ± 2.06 to 46.99 ± 2.97 Bq.kg–1), 232Th (42.91± 2.53 to 62.92 ± 3.37 Bq.kg–1) and 40K (824.42± 15.42 to 1071.58 ± 20.14 Bq.kg–1). The measured activityconcentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared withthe reported data of other countries and with the world averageactivity of soil. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq),the hazard indices, the gamma activity concentration index, theindoor absorbed dose rate and the corresponding annual effectivedose were estimated for the potential radiological hazard of themarble. The Raeq values of all marble samples are lowerthan the limit of 370 Bq.kg–1, equivalent to a dose of1.5 mSv.y–1. The average values of the external and internalhazard indices are less than unity. The average indoor absorbeddose rate (121.25 nGy.h–1) is higher than the population-weightedaverage of 84 nGy.h–1, whereas the corresponding annualdose limit falls within an average value of 0.60 mSv, which is anorder of magnitude below the limit specified for building materialsin the literature. The present results indicate that using marblein building construction in Bangladesh does not pose any significant radiologicalhazard.

Keywords

Marblegamma spectrometryradioactivityradiation exposureBangladesh
Type
Research Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 47 , Issue 1 , January 2012 , pp. 105 - 118
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2012

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