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Natural radioactivity in cements and raw materials used in Albanian cement industry

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Abstract

This study examines the natural radioactivity in cements and raw materials used in cement production industry with the aim to assess the population exposure to the radiation due to their use in dwellings. The results show that the limestone is the principal contributor for the presence of 226Ra activity concentration in cements. The contribution of aluminosilicate materials, mainly for the presence of 40K and 232Th, shows high variability mainly due to the possibility of use of different types of raw materials. The activity concentration is found to be higher in Portland cements relative to Portland-limestone cements with values varying from 12.0 to 16.1 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 46.2–51.2 Bq kg−1 for 232Th and 133.7–168.8 Bq kg−1 for 40K. The activity concentration index (ACI), recommended by the Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM and recently amended in the Albanian legislation, was adopted as a screening tool to assess the radiological hazard due to the use of cements as building materials. The ACI varies from 0.26 to 0.31, which allows us to conclude that potentially these building materials do not pose any significant risk to humans due to their use in dwellings. This conclusion is confirmed by calculating the annual effective dose rate, varying from 0.33 to 0.38 mSv y−1.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge networking support by the COST Action TU1301 (www.norm4building.org) and the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) through the ITALRAD Project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Pristina “Hasan Prishtina”, Bregu i Diellit, 10000, Pristina, Kosovo

    Ferat Shala

  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Blvd. Zogu I, 1001, Tirana, Albania

    Gerti Xhixha

  3. Department of Engineering, Faculty of Professional Studies, University “Aleksandër Moisiu” Durrës, Str. Currila 1, 2000, Durrës, Albania

    Merita Kaçeli Xhixha

  4. Kosovo Agency for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (KARPNS) - Office of the Prime Minister, Ish-Gërmia, 10000, Pristina, Kosovo

    Fadil Hasani

  5. Center for GeoTechnologies, University of Siena, Via Vetri Vecchi 34, 52027, San Giovanni Valdarno, Arezzo, Italy

    Elona Xhixha

  6. Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics, University of Tirana, Rr. Thoma Filipeu, P.O. Box 85, Qesarakë, Tirana, Albania

    Manjola Shyti & Dritan Prifti

  7. Faculty of Engineering Mathematics and Engineering Physics, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Square Nënë Tereza, 4, Tirana, Albania

    Dhurata Sadiraj Kuqi & Mevlan Qafleshi

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  1. Ferat Shala
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  2. Gerti Xhixha
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  3. Merita Kaçeli Xhixha
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  4. Fadil Hasani
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  5. Elona Xhixha
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  6. Manjola Shyti
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  7. Dhurata Sadiraj Kuqi
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  8. Dritan Prifti
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  9. Mevlan Qafleshi
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Correspondence to Gerti Xhixha.

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Shala, F., Xhixha, G., Kaçeli Xhixha, M. et al. Natural radioactivity in cements and raw materials used in Albanian cement industry. Environ Earth Sci 76, 670 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7014-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7014-x

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