Radionuclide content of building materials and associated gamma dose rates in Egyptian dwellings

Studies have been carried out to determine the natural radioactivity in some building materials (bricks, tiles, marble and ceramics) and their associated radiation hazard. The radioactivity concentrations of 226Ra 232Th and 40K were measured using a gamma spectrometer with a Hp–Ge detector. The activities of 238U and 234U were measured using an alpha-spectrometer with a surface barrier detector after applying a radiochemical procedure. The 234U/238U isotopic ratios were calculated. The radium equivalent activities and the radiation hazard index associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated. A computer program was developed and applied to calculate the dose rate a person will receive from the walls of a room constructed from the studied building materials.