Studies on radionuclide specific activity concentration and hazard indices due to the building materials used in Hyderabad city, Telangana state, India
摘要
Assessment of natural radioactivity in building materials is essential for evaluating potential radiation exposure to inhabitants. In the present study, a systematic investigation was carried out to determine the specific activity of naturally occurring radionuclides in commonly used building materials in Hyderabad City. Approximately 30 samples of brick, sand, cement, granite, and marble were collected from construction sites and material suppliers across different locations in the city. The samples were analyzed using a 2ʺ × 2ʺ NaI(Tl) scintillation detector coupled with a multichannel analyzer. The mean specific activity of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were found to be 105 Bq·kg⁻1, 40 Bq·kg⁻1, and 632 Bq·kg⁻1, respectively. Specific activity were lowest in marble samples and highest in granite samples. Radiological hazard parameters, including radium equivalent activity, external hazard index, internal hazard index, alpha index, gamma index, and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), were calculated to assess potential health risks. The results indicate variation in radionuclide distribution among materials, highlighting the importance of radiological assessment in the selection and use of building materials.