Abstract:
materials are classified as a source of radioactive contamination because of their content of natural radionuclides, mainly uranium, thorium and their progeny products besides potassium. This may be related to their natural composition of soil and rocks. In order to estimate the harmful effects of ionizing radiation emitted by building materials, a broad research on the levels of natural radioactivity must be developed. The objective of this work is to study the distribution of natural radioactivity in construction materials used in Algeria. 31 samples of different types of materials were collected. The concentration measurements of activities resulting from the decay of 238U (226Ra), 235U and 232Th, as well as the primordial isotope 40K in these samples were carried out using gamma spectrometry technique, by means of a high purity germanium detector (HPGe). The average activities of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are 16.05 ± 0.53 Bq.kg-1, 17.44 ± 0.97 Bq.kg-1 and 260.31 ± 6.81 Bq.kg-1, respectively. These values are lower than the global average values. The presence of 137Cs the anthropogenic radionuclide was found in three sand samples with very low activities. Received doses and radiological hazard parameters were calculated and compared to the global average values. A comparison of the results obtained in this study with the literature was made. In addition, a statistical analysis was performed and discussed for the obtained data.
