Journal of Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Vol.

12 (2017) 1-12

EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT OF SOME NON-

NUCLEAR INDUSTRIES IN NORTH SUEZ CANAL REGION
Mona Abozeeda, Kh. A. Allamb, Mos'ad A. Metwalic
and A. EL. Herizya
a
Mathematics and Physics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University.
b
Department of Nuclear Law, Nuclear and Radiological Authority, Cairo, Egypt
c
Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt

Rec. 14/11/2016 In final form 12/02/2017 Accept. 19/02/2017

A detailed gamma ray spectrometry survey was carried out to assess the
environmental impact of urbanization and industrialization on Port Said city, Egypt.
The concentration of radioactive isotopes in forty-three soil, raw materials, and product
samples were measured. Soil Samples were collected from different areas around three
factories (two concrete block factories and a chemical factory) in Port Said
governorate. The specific concentration of 238U, 232Th and 40K in these samples were
determined by -ray spectrometer using a HPGe detector with a specially designed
shield. The specific activity concentrations ranged from 3.26 to 49 Bq/kg for 238U, from
under detection limit to 23 Bq/kg for 232 Th and from under detection limit to 740 Bq/kg
for 40K. The total absorbed dose rate in air ranged from 4.64 to 59.7 nGy/h and the
external hazard index ranges from 0.02 to 0.32.

Keywords: Gamma ray spectrometry; Dose rate, Port Said, Egypt.

INTRODUCTION
Human beings are exposed to ionizing radiation every day from natural
radionuclides in the ground, building materials, air, food, the universe, and even
elements in their own bodies. The assessment of these doses from natural materials is
important as external radiation exposures from natural materials contribute about 50 %
of the average annual dose to humans from all radiation sources [1]. It is essential to
establish the radiological base-line data, which does not exist yet, and to investigate the
present radioecological impact of the nonnuclear industries to preserve and protect the
environment.
2 Mona Abozeed et al.

The natural radioactivity in the environment is the main source of radiation

exposure for humans and constitutes the background radiation level [2]. The main
natural contributors to external exposure from gamma rays are 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K.
Since these radionuclides are not uniformly distributed, the knowledge of their
distribution in soil and rocks plays an important role in radiation protection and
measurement.

It is important to determine the different sources and their individual contributions

to the total radiation dose [3]. We have presented and compared the activity
concentration of radionuclides and radiation doses resulting from the radiological
effects and external doses from other non-nuclear industries which emit radionuclides.
A comparison is also made of the total risk in the energy scene.

Ores may contain enhanced levels of radionuclides concentration from the

uranium and thorium decay chains. By processing, specifically micronizing, the
radioactive materials in the ores can give rise to radiological problems in workplaces
and in the environment. The doses due to inhaled dust by employees may be
considerable.

1. Concrete Blocks Industry

Concrete block, sometimes called cement brick (or cement stock brick), is used
very commonly for the construction of residential buildings and many other projects in
Egypt. It is prepared essentially by mixing cement, sand and water. All these
components contain naturally occurring radionuclides with activity levels that depend
on the location from where the raw materials have been sourced. This eventually leads
to some radiation exposure of the occupants of the homes when inhabited. A radium
equivalent of 370 Bq/kg in building materials will produce an exposure of about (1.5
mSv/year) to the inhabitants [4]. The global indoor air dose rate due to these materials,
which varies from 40 to 120 nGy/h, depending on the type of dwelling and location,
contributes on an average, about one quarter or more of annual dose to the public from
all sources of radiation [5]. Low-level exposure from gamma sources in the building
has received considerable attention [6].

Building materials contribute to environmental radioactivity in two ways. First, by

gamma-radiation, mainly from 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and their progenies to a whole-body
dose and in some cases by beta radiation to a skin dose, and second by radon inhalation
to an internal dose exposure due to the deposition of radon decay products in the
human respiratory tract [7].

2. Chemical Industry

The industrial uses of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) cover

a range of mineral resources and industrial activities. Due to the technological
processes evolved in some of these industrial processes, the concentration of natural
 EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT … 3

radioactive elements in the products and in their wastes, can be much higher than that
in the ore/raw materials.

Potential radiation risk can result from the presence of NORM in raw materials
usually considered as non-radioactive and used in the manufacturing of chemical
products. The concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive substances in the
earth’s crust vary widely. There are some materials that are extracted for industrial use
and contain radioactive substances at concentrations which cannot be disregarded. In
some cases, industrial processing can lead to even further enhancement of the
concentrations in the product, by-product or in the waste materials. The originated
wastes in these activities are released in the environment and hence, an environmental
management is needed to reduce the resultant safety problems for both environment
and population.

EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE

1. Sampling and Sample Preparation

Thirty-three soil samples were collected from different zones around three
factories in EL RASWA southern industrial zone, Port Said, Egypt. For the concrete
blocks industry, two factories were selected, KARWIA and EL-CAPTIN, which are
located in C8 zone. Eight samples from the raw materials which are used in factories
were also measured. Those analyzed raw materials were sand, powdered cement,
oxides and gravel, and in addition, two brick samples from EL-CAPTIN factory. TCI
SANMAR (The Sanmar Group acquired Trust Chemical Industries) was selected as a
chemical industry example in this study. It is located in the C9 zone (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Location map of TCI SANMAR group

Samples were weighted dried at 100 C for 24 h, re-weighted to determine the

water content, grinned, and homogenized to pass through 1 mm meshes sieve. 100 ml
of each sample was weighed, and transferred to Marinilli-beakers and sealed for 4
weeks (to obtain radioactive secular equilibrium) to be analyzed using gamma
spectrometers. The samples were analyzed in the geometries used during the procedure
of efficiency determination.
4 Mona Abozeed et al.

2. Gamma Ray Spectrometry

The samples from area of the study were analyzed using a high-resolution; low-
back ground gamma-ray spectrometry system based on a coaxial high purity
germanium detector (HPGe). The gamma-ray spectra which were analyzed, were
created through converting the event energy into a pulse height spectrum. The signal
processing was done by connecting the detector to a preamplifier and a standard
spectroscopy shaping amplifier. The resultant spectra were analyzed using Canberra
Genie software “Genie-2000”.

The activity of 40K was measured directly via its 1461 (10.7%) keV peak of the
gamma ray spectra. To determine the activity concentration of 226Ra, the average value
of gamma ray lines 295.1 (19.2%) and 351.9 (37.1%) keV from 214Pb to 609.3 (46.1%)
and 1764.5 (15.9%) keV gamma rays from 214Bi are used. Activity concentration of
232
Th is determined using the average value of gamma ray lines 238.6 (43.6%) keV
from 212Pb, 338.4 (12%), 911.1 (29%) and 968.9 (17.4%) keV from 228Ac, 583.1 (86%)
and 2614 keV from 208 Tl. The detector was calibrated for the efficiency using 226 Ra
point source to first produce a relative efficiency curve followed by standardization
using KCl as a standard solution (Farouk and Al Soraya, 1980). Quality control and
quality assurance of the measurements using International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) reference materials (Soil6, IAEA-326). In addition, duplicate samples were
added to insure the analyses consistency of the measurements. Blank samples were
added to eliminate the cross-contamination occurrence in the samples.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. The Specific Activity

The specific activity (in Bq/kg), AEγ of a radionuclide i and for a peak at energy
Eγ, is given by Eq.(1):

(1)

where NP is the number of counts in a given peak area corrected for background peaks
of a peak at energy Eγ, (Eγ) the detection efficiency at energy Eγ, tc is the counting
lifetime, Iγ(Eγ) is the number of gammas per disintegration of this nuclide for a
transition at energy Eγ, and M the mass in kg of the measured sample.

The results of natural radionuclides distribution in samples is presented in Table

1.
 EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT … 5

238 232 40
Table 1. The specific activity concentration (Bq/kg) of U, Th and K for the collected
samples.

Sample 238 232 40

Site Sample type U Th K
code
1 Sand 6.49±0.09 8.90±0.10 160.40±0.02
2 Large gravel 46.90±0.04 4.20±0.30 27.01±0.05
KARAWIA factory for concrete

3 Small gravel 48.90±0.04 <D.L. <D.L.

4 Oxide 6.01±0.10 4.40±0.20 199.30±0.02
5 Sand 11.97±0.09 4.01±0.70 114.50±0.05
blocks

6 Soil 12.30±0.10 5.10±0.20 294.10±0.02

7 Soil 8.70±0.05 8.40±0.10 <D.L.
8 Soil 9.01±0.09 9.10±0.20 347.70±0.03
9 Soil 7.70±0.05 6.20±0.09 <D.L.
10 Soil 5.70±0.10 5.80±0.20 91.20±0.05
11 Soil 3.01±0.50 <D.L. 62.60±0.07
12 Soil 26.30±0.02 9.01±0.09 <D.L.
13 Soil 8.30±0.10 8.40±0.26 218.30±0.04
El-Captain manual factory for

14 Soil 9.01±0.08 5.01±0.15 214.10±0.02

15 Soil 10.60±0.07 8.30±0.10 195.01±0.04
Soil 9.70±0.20 5.20±0.37 273.60±0.05
concrete blocks

16
17 Soil 8.01±0.10 6.60±0.10 365.40±0.01
18 Soil 6.60±0.07 4.20±0.20 260.90±0.02
19 Sand 16.70±0.05 15.10±0.10 26.30±0.10
20 Sand 3.30±0.10 4.40±0.20 93.40±0.04
21 Small gravel 24.50±0.03 3.10±0.20 60.70±0.05
22 Brick sample 24.01±0.04 3.80±0.30 72.40±0.07
23 Brick sample 16.01±0.05 3.30±0.20 113.90±0.03
24 Soil 8.30±0.08 7.70±0.10 196.10±0.04
25 Soil 10.60±0.10 9.70±0.20 319.60±0.03
26 Soil 9.80±0.10 12.01±0.1 363.70±0.03
27 Soil 31.01±0.08 23.01±0.15 740.70±0.04
TCI Sanmar group

28 Soil 5.90±0.10 7.80±0.20 271.0±0.03

29 Soil 8.80±0.10 9.40±0.20 220.80±0.04
30 Soil 7.80±0.04 9.20±0.15 324.20±0.03
31 Soil 9.20±0.10 12.30±0.10 233.60±0.04
32 Soil 7.30±0.10 2.01±0.20 154.50±0.05
33 Soil 8.80±0.16 6.50±0.25 264.10±0.03
34 Soil 6.20±0.09 6.90±0.20 241.60±0.03
35 Soil 8.01±0.10 8.50±0.15 215.50±0.04
36 Soil 8.80±0.07 9.80±0.10 247.60±0.03
 6 Mona Abozeed et al.

Sample 238 232 40

Site Sample type U Th K
code
37 Soil 8.01±0.05 9.50±0.20 338.80±0.02
38 Soil 7.40±0.06 7.70±0.20 324.70±0.03
39 Soil 9.01±0.07 10.01±0.20 358.40±0.03
40 Soil 8.80±0.06 9.60±0.10 293.20±0.03
41 Soil 12.01±0.04 8.50±0.10 274.60±0.03
42 Soil 7.01±0.05 7.50±0.40 265.60±0.03
43 Soil 10.60±0.10 9.60±0.10 353.50±0.03

The activity concentration of 238U ranged from 3.26 to 49 Bq/kg, for 232Th from
<D.L. to 22.98 Bq/kg; and for 40K from <D.L. to 740 Bq/kg. where the Minimum
Detection Limit for 226Ra is 0.7 Bq/kg, for 232Th is 0.6 Bq/kg and for 40 K is 3.0 Bq/kg.
From the 43 samples measured in this study, the maximum activity value of 238 U was
in sample 3 (raw material) and minimum value was in sample 11. While for 232Th the
maximum value was in sample 27 and the minimum was in sample 21. The value of
40
K reaches the maximum in sample 27 (soil surrounding TCI Sanmar group) 740
Bq/kg. The international average concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in soils are 50,
50 and 370 Bq/kg, while the range of Egypt is (5-64, 2-96 and 29-650 Bq/kg for 226Ra,
232
Th and 40K) [8]. The results of the activity concentrations in present study for 238U
( Ra)-series, 232Th-series and 40K in soil samples are below the worldwide average
226

values but in the range of Egypt except sample 27 that has a higher 40K concentration
value.

2. Dose Rates (D) and Annual Effective Doses (E)

Conversion factors to transform specific activities ARa, ATh and AK of Ra, Th and
K, respectively, in absorbed dose rate at 1m above the ground (in nGy/h by Bq/kg) are
calculated using the formula of UNSCEAR 2000 [8]:

(3)

The total calculated absorbed dose rates range from 4.64 to 59.7 nGy/h. The
lowest value of absorbed γ-ray dose rate due to soil was observed for sample no.11
collected around Karawia factory for concrete blocks, and the highest value of
absorbed γ-ray dose rate was observed for soil sample no.27 collected around TCI
Sanmar factory for Chemicals. The analytical results for the total absorbed dose in the
air for each of the measured samples are also given in Table 2.
 EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT … 7

Table 2. The absorbed dose rate (nGy/h), the annual effective dose E (mSv/year), the external
hazard index Hex, the radium equivalent Raeq , The gamma index (Iγ) and the internal hazard
index Hin

Sample D E
Raeq Hex Hin Iγ Iα
code (nGy/h) (mSv/year)
1 15.42 0.08 31.50 0.09 0.10 0.12 0.03
2 24.14 0.12 55.08 0.15 0.28 0.19 0.23
3 21.07 0.10 48.99 0.13 0.27 0.16 0.24
4 13.86 0.07 27.60 0.08 0.09 0.11 0.03
5 12.61 0.06 26.48 0.07 0.10 0.10 0.06
6 21.04 0.10 42.25 0.11 0.15 0.17 0.06
7 9.35 0.05 20.75 0.06 0.08 0.07 0.04
8 24.58 0.12 48.89 0.13 0.16 0.19 0.05
9 7.42 0.04 16.53 0.05 0.07 0.06 0.04
10 10.15 0.05 21.03 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.03
11 4.64 0.02 9.39 0.03 0.03 0.04 0.02
12 17.35 0.09 39.27 0.11 0.18 0.13 0.13
13 18.36 0.09 37.18 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.04
14 16.24 0.08 32.76 0.09 0.11 0.13 0.05
15 18.25 0.09 37.42 0.10 0.13 0.14 0.05
16 19.15 0.09 38.25 0.10 0.13 0.15 0.05
17 23.18 0.11 45.56 0.12 0.15 0.18 0.04
18 16.56 0.08 32.71 0.09 0.11 0.13 0.03
19 18.32 0.09 40.28 0.11 0.15 0.14 0.08
20 8.33 0.04 16.90 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.02
21 15.12 0.07 33.55 0.09 0.16 0.12 0.12
22 15.95 0.08 35.15 0.10 0.16 0.12 0.12
23 13.89 0.07 29.56 0.08 0.12 0.11 0.08
24 16.95 0.08 34.45 0.09 0.12 0.13 0.04
25 24.46 0.12 49.12 0.13 0.16 0.19 0.05
26 27.52 0.14 55.04 0.15 0.18 0.21 0.05
27 59.71 0.29 120.81 0.33 0.41 0.47 0.15
28 19.10 0.09 37.89 0.10 0.12 0.15 0.03
8 Mona Abozeed et al.

Sample D E
Raeq Hex Hin Iγ Iα
code (nGy/h) (mSv/year)
29 19.36 0.10 39.34 0.11 0.13 0.15 0.04
30 23.07 0.11 45.86 0.12 0.15 0.18 0.04
31 21.99 0.11 44.84 0.12 0.15 0.17 0.05
32 13.63 0.07 27.79 0.08 0.10 0.11 0.04
33 19.24 0.09 38.50 0.10 0.13 0.15 0.04
34 17.43 0.09 34.72 0.09 0.11 0.14 0.03
35 18.14 0.09 36.72 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.04
36 20.70 0.10 41.85 0.11 0.14 0.16 0.04
37 23.95 0.12 47.58 0.13 0.15 0.19 0.04
38 21.92 0.11 43.36 0.12 0.14 0.17 0.04
39 25.59 0.13 50.91 0.14 0.16 0.20 0.05
40 22.53 0.11 45.20 0.12 0.15 0.18 0.04
41 22.28 0.11 45.13 0.12 0.15 0.17 0.06
42 19.22 0.09 38.31 0.10 0.12 0.15 0.04
43 25.77 0.13 51.49 0.14 0.17 0.20 0.05

To estimate the annual effective dose (E), one must take all the following into
account: (a) the conversion coefficient (0.7 Sv/Gy) from absorbed dose in air to
effective dose and (b) the indoor occupancy factor (0.8) proposed by OECD (1979) [9]
and UNSCEAR (2000) [8]. The effective dose rate, E (mSv/year), was estimated using
the following formula:

(4)

where D is the calculated dose rate (in nGy/h), T is the indoor occupancy time (0.8 ×24
h ×365.25 d = 7012.8 h/year), and F is the conversion factor (0.7×10-6 mSv/Gy).

3. Radium Equivalent Activity

The concentration and distribution of 226Ra, (assuming equilibrium with 238U),

232
Th-series and 40K in the environmental samples is not uniform throughout the world.
However, this non-uniformity in respect of exposure to radiation has been defined in
terms of radium equivalent activity (radiation hazard index) (Raeq ) in Bq/kg, when
compared to the specific activities of samples containing different activities of 226Ra,
232
Th and 40K. The radium equivalent activity term was introduced as a common index
 EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT … 9

by Beretka and Mathew and can be calculated from the following relation suggested by
Eq.(5) [10]:

(5)

where ATh is the specific activity of 232 Th; ARa is the specific activity of 226Ra; AK is the
specific activity of 40K in Bq/kg. The values of calculated Req for collected samples are
shown in Table 2. Values range from 9.38 to 120.81 Bq/kg with an average of 39.44
Bq/kg, which are lower than the criterion limit of 370 Bq/kg [9].

4. Radiation Hazard Indices

In order to measure the hazards one can define radiation hazard indices (Beretka
and Mathew 1985) [10]:

The external hazard index: is obtained from Raeq expression through the
assumption that its maximum value allowed (equal to unity) corresponds to the upper
limit of Raeq (370 Bq/kg). This index value must be less than unity in order to keep the
radiation hazard insignificant; i.e. the radiation exposure due to the radioactivity from
construction materials is limited to 1.0 mSv/year. Then, the external hazard index can
be defined as

(6)

where ARa, ATh and AK are the specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th and
40
K in Bq/kg, respectively. It is observed from Table 2 that the maximum value of Hex
is below the criterion value 1.

5. Internal hazard index

In addition to the external hazard index, radon and its short-lived progeny are also
hazardous to the respiratory organs. The internal exposure to radon and its daughter
progenies is quantified by the internal hazard index H [8]. The combined internal
exposure to gamma-rays and radon has been defined by Krieger [11] as indoor external
hazard criterion (Hin ). The Hin is calculated from the formula given by Krieger [11].

(6)

where ARa, ATh and AK are the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in Bq/kg
respectively. For insignificant radiation hazard the indices should be less than unity
this has been proposed by Krieger [11] and Beretka and Mathew [10].
10 Mona Abozeed et al.

6. Gamma index (Iγ)

The European Commission has proposed an index called the gamma index (Iγ)
defined by the following relation [12]. The gamma index (Iγ) has been introduced to
account for the combined impact of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K as radiological hazard
associated with soil.

(7)

where ARa, ATh and AK are the specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively,
in any material. Materials having Iγ ≤ 2 will make an increase of 0.3 mSv in the annual
effective dose, whereas 2 < Iγ ≤ 6 correspond to an increase of 1 mSv/year [12,13].
Thus, Iγ can be used for identifying safe materials for construction purpose. According
to the European Commission recommendations, the materials that do not increase the
annual effective dose of a member of public by 0.3 mSv at the most should be
exempted from all restrictions concerning radioactivity hazard [14]. On the other hand,
the doses higher than 1 mSv/year are allowed only for exceptional cases where
materials are used locally.

7. Alpha index (Iα)

Assessment of the internal hazard originating from the alpha activity of building
materials requires calculations of the alpha index, or internal hazard index. The alpha
index is calculated by using the following equation:

(8)

where ARa is the specific activity of 226Ra. The safe use of materials in building
construction requires Iα to be less than 1. This limit corresponds to the design action
level for the 222Rn concentration of 200 Bq/m3 on an annual average basis for future
buildings [12,15].

CONCLUSION

Based on the above results, the following conclusions are drawn.

 Gamma ray spectrometry was used to determine activity concentration due to

naturally of 238U, 232Th and 40 K, radioisotopes and the associated radiation hazard
levels in 30 of soil, raw material and end product samples from some C industrial
zone in Port Said area. The specific activity concentrations ranged from 3.26 to 49
Bq/kg for 238U(226Ra), from under detection limit to 23 Bq/kg for 232Th and from
under detection limit to 740 Bq/kg for 40K.
 EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT … 11

 The 40 K activity concentration was observed to be slightly higher than the world
average value 400 Bq/kg reported by UNSCEAR 2000. However, the average 226Ra
and 232Th concentration in soil samples of studied area was found to be similar to the
world average 33 Bq/kg and 45 Bq/kg reported by UNSCEAR 2000.
 The results in the present work are higher than previous studies for average value of
226
Ra and 232Th-series and 40K as Attia T.E., etal (2014) who reported average activity
concentration of 238U-series, 232Th-series, 40K, and 137Cs in soil samples selected from
Port Said southern region (site B) nearby our studied area [16].
 In the present work, only one sample has dose rate value 59.7 nGy/h which is more
than world median value 50 nGy/h [8].
 The results obtained have shown that radiological hazards such as gamma index,
radium equivalent activity, external hazard index, indoor hazard index and alpha
index are well within the world average value. Finally, we conclude that the radiation
emitted from the radionuclides present in the soil of the study area do not pose any
radiological health hazard to the public of the area.
 The results obtained have shown that the average indoor, outdoor effective dose and
total annual effective dose due to natural radioactivity of soil samples is lower than
the average national and world recommended value of 1 mSv/year.

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