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Measurement of gamma radiation from rocks used as building material in Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu, India

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Abstract

Tiruchirappalli district is naturally endowed with rich building material resources which are also used in neighboring districts. Hence, measurements of activity concentrations and absorbed dose rate of primordial radionuclides (238U, 232Th and 40K) in the rock samples collected from 14 sedimentary rocks and 9 igneous rocks were carried out employing gamma ray spectrometry. In sedimentary rocks the geometric mean activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K were found to be 7.4, 29.5 and 233.6 Bq kg−1, respectively. On the other hand in igneous rocks geometric mean activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K were distinctly higher and found to be 13.1, 105.7 and 888.8 Bq kg−1, respectively. The mean radium equivalent activity (Raeq) recorded in both sedimentary (20.8 Bq kg−1) and igneous rocks (245.4 Bq kg−1) were well within the limit prescribed for dwellings (370 Bq kg−1) except Vilathupatti (689.3 Bq kg−1) and Narthamalai (371.6 Bq kg−1). The mean absorbed dose rate from igneous rock (115 nGy h−1) exceeded the prescribed limit of 55 nGy h−1. The mean indoor annual effective dose from the sedimentary rock (0.056 mSv y−1) and igneous rock (0.580 mSv y−1) did not exceed the prescribed limit (1 mSv y−1) except the igneous rock from Vilathupatti (1.51 mSv y−1). The study concludes that sedimentary and igneous rocks analyzed were radiologically safe when used as building materials except igneous rock from Vilathupatti and Narthamalai.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thankfully acknowledge Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Govt. of India, Mumbai for funding (Project No: AERB/CSRP/45/05/2010) and Dr. M. T. Jose and Shri. S. Balasundar, Radiological Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam for technical support and Prof. K. Ponnusamy, Chairman, J.J College of Engineering and Technology for providing facilities and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Research Centre, J.J. College of Engineering and Technology, Tiruchirappalli, 620 009, Tamil Nadu, India

    P. Shahul Hameed, G. Sankaran Pillai & G. Satheeshkumar

  2. Radiological Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603 102, Tamil Nadu, India

    R. Mathiyarasu

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  1. P. Shahul Hameed
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  2. G. Sankaran Pillai
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  3. G. Satheeshkumar
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Correspondence to P. Shahul Hameed.

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Hameed, P.S., Pillai, G.S., Satheeshkumar, G. et al. Measurement of gamma radiation from rocks used as building material in Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 300, 1081–1088 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3033-1

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