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Natural radioactivity and indoor radiation measurements in buildings and building materials in Gobichettipalayam town

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Abstract

Samples of natural and manufactured building materials used by the people of Gobichettipalayam town have been analyzed for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K using gamma-ray spectrometry. Radium equivalent activity of the materials has been measured using the formula given by OECD and the geometric mean value of sand, clay and cements are found to be 53.53 Bq·kg−1, 89.09 Bq·kg−1 and 72.25 Bq·kg−1, respectively. The radium equivalent activities obtained in the building materials are all well below the acceptable limit. The indoor gamma-dose has been measured using thermoluminescence dosimeters and it was found in the range of 1051.2–3946.0 μGy/year. The annual effective indoor gamma radiation dose to the people of Gobichettipalayam town has been found to be 0.8 mSv/y.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solid State and Radiation Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, 641 046, India

    G. M. Brahmanandhan, J. Malathi, D. Khanna & S. Selvasekarapandian

  2. Department of Physics, PKR College for Women, Gobichettipalayam, Erode, 638 476, India

    N. Nidhya & R. Usharani

  3. Radiological Safety Section, Health Physics Division, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, 626 103, India

    M. T. Jose & V. Meenakshisundaram

Authors
  1. G. M. Brahmanandhan
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  2. J. Malathi
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  3. D. Khanna
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  4. S. Selvasekarapandian
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  5. N. Nidhya
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  6. R. Usharani
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  7. M. T. Jose
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  8. V. Meenakshisundaram
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Selvasekarapandian.

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Brahmanandhan, G.M., Malathi, J., Khanna, D. et al. Natural radioactivity and indoor radiation measurements in buildings and building materials in Gobichettipalayam town. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 274, 373–377 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-007-1125-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-007-1125-x

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