Radioactivity in building materials in Iraq

Natural radioactivity level in Yemen: A systematic review of radiological studies

This paper aimed to conduct a systematic review of 26 published articles from 13 different regions in the Republic of Yemen related to the study of natural radioactivity (NORM) and enhanced artificial radioactivity (TENORM). The study relied on the analysis of various sample types, including air, groundwater, surface water, hot spring water, soil, sand, rocks, building materials, and oil field samples. It also analyzed the study areas, the types of detectors employed, and the study's timeframe. The analytical results raised significant concerns regarding the high levels of radioactivity observed in many of the studied regions. Moreover, some regions indicated the absence of any prior radiological study, despite apparent effects on the population and the environment, which suggest the presence of potential radionuclide concentration. Based on this study, it is strongly recommended that researchers conduct further radiological studies in regions previously studied over extended periods and in areas where no prior radiological studies have been conducted to assess potential radionuclide concentration.

Assessment of impact of urbanisation on background radiation exposure and human health risk estimation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur has been undergoing rapid urbanisation process, mainly in infrastructure development. The opening of new township and residential in former tin mining areas, particularly in the heavy mineral- or tin-bearing alluvial soil in Kuala Lumpur, is a contentious subject in land-use regulation. Construction practices, i.e. reclamation and dredging in these areas are potential to enhance the radioactivity levels of soil and subsequently, increase the existing background gamma radiation levels. This situation is worsened with the utilisation of tin tailings as construction materials apart from unavoidable soil pollutions due to naturally occurring radioactive materials in construction materials, e.g. granitic aggregate, cement and red clay brick. This study was conducted to assess the urbanisation impacts on background gamma radiation in Kuala Lumpur. The study found that the mean value of measured dose rate was 251±6nGyh^-1 (156-392nGyh^-1) and 4 times higher than the world average value. High radioactivity levels of ²³⁸U (95±12Bqkg^-1), ²³²Th (191±23Bqkg^-1,) and ⁴⁰K (727±130Bqkg^-1) in soil were identified as the major source of high radiation exposure. Based on statistical ANOVA, t-test, and analyses of cumulative probability distribution, this study has statistically verified the dose enhancements in the background radiation. The effective dose was estimated to be 0.31±0.01mSvy^-1 per man. The recommended ICRP reference level (1-20mSvy^-1) is applicable to the involved existing exposure situation in this study. The estimated effective dose in this study is lower than the ICRP reference level and too low to cause deterministic radiation effects. Nevertheless based on estimations of lifetime radiation exposure risks, this study found that there was small probability for individual in Kuala Lumpur being diagnosed with cancer and dying of cancer.

Natural radioactivity and radiological hazard assessment of soil using gamma-ray spectrometry

Natural radioactivity in soil samples collected from different places of Bulandshahr, Hapur and Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh, India, using a low-level counting multichannel gamma-ray spectrometer system comprising an NaI(Tl) crystal. The range of (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K activity concentrations varied from 29.6 to 69.2, from 34.9 to 93.8 and from 438.2 to 719.9 , respectively. The activity concentrations of (232)Th are higher than those of (238)U in all the samples. The absorbed dose rate ranges from 53.18 to 110.95 . The values of the annual effective dose indoors are found to vary from 0.26 to 0.54 , whereas outdoors are found to vary from 0.07 to 0.14 . The annual effective dose is marginally below the international recommended value of 1 for the general public. The external and internal hazard indexes of the soil samples are below the recommended limits. The values of the gamma index in soil samples varied from 0.41 to 0.88. The values of the alpha index varied from 0.15 to 0.35. All these values of and are <1.0. It is observed from the results that there is no significant radiation hazard due to natural radionuclides of the soil samples in the studied areas.