Radiometric measurements in building materials

Knowledge of basic radiological parameters in construction materials is particularly important for the assessment of radiation exposure of the population. Therefore in this study, cement types produced in Turkey and used as construction materials were evaluated for naturally occurring radionuclides as 226Ra, 232Th and 40K. The cement samples used in this study were obtained from companies and factories in different regions of Turkey. In the cement samples analyzed by using gamma-ray spectrometer consist of 3"x3" NaI(Tl) detector setup and multichannel analyzer, the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in analyzed samples were found in the range of 18-143 Bq kg-1, 5-66 Bq kg-1 and 142-540 Bq kg-1, respectively. Additionally, radiological hazard parameters such as absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose (AED), radium equivalent activity (Raeq), internal and the external hazard index (Hin, Hex) and activity indexes (I) were measured in the range of 18-143 nGy h-1, 188-776 µSv y-1, 41-182 Bq kg-1, 0.11-0.49, 0.17-0.85 and 0.15-0.65, respectively. Finally, the related radionuclides and the calculated radiation hazard parameters on the basis of the measured concentration of the natural radionuclides in the studied cements were statistically evaluated and compared with results of studies in other countries and the worldwide average values given by European Commission and UNSCEAR.