External gamma-ray dose rate and radon concentration in indoor environments covered with Brazilian granites

MEIGIKOS DOS ANJOS, R.; JURI AYUB, J.; CID, A. S.; CARDOSO, R.; LACERDA, T.

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2011 vol. 102 p. 1055 - 1061

0265-931X

Health hazard from natural radioactivity in Brazilian granites, covering the walls and floor in a typical dwelling room, was assessed by indirect methods to predict external gamma-ray dose rates and radon concentrations. The gamma-ray dose rate was estimated by a Monte Carlo simulation method and validated by in-situ measurements with a NaI spectrometer. Activity concentrations of 232Th, 226Ra, and 40K in an extensive selection of Brazilian commercial granite samples measured by using gamma-ray spectrometry were found to be 4.5 - 450 Bq/kg, 4.9 - 160 Bq/kg and 190 - 2029 Bq/kg, respectively. The maximum external gamma-ray dose rate from floor and walls covered with the Brazilian granites in the typical dwelling room (5.0 m 4.0 m area, 2.8 m height) was found to be 120 nGy/h, which is comparable with the average worldwide exposure to external terrestrial radiation of 80 nGy/h due to natural sources, proposed by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Radon concentrations in the room were also estimated by a simple mass balance equation and exhalation rates calculated from the measured values of 226Ra concentrations and the material properties. The results showed that the radon concentration in the room ventilated adequately (0.5 1/h ) will be lower than 100 Bq/m3 , value recommended as a reference level by the World Health Organization