Measurements of Natural Radioactivity of Industrial Raw Materials from the West of Saudi Arabia (Arabian Shield)

Safia H. Q. Hamidalddin

doi:10.4236/jmp.2015.64055

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Journal of Modern Physics > Vol.6 No.4, March 2015

Measurements of Natural Radioactivity of Industrial Raw Materials from the West of Saudi Arabia (Arabian Shield) ()

Safia H. Q. Hamidalddin^*

Physics Department, Girls Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

DOI: 10.4236/jmp.2015.64055 PDF HTML XML 4,207 Downloads 4,610 Views Citations

Abstract

Rock samples of industrial raw materials that are used in the building, from the West of Saudi Arabia (Arabian Shield), have been investigated using X-ray diffraction to identify the mineral chemical composition. The concentrations of Al%, Bi, Pb, Th, U, and K in ppm were measured by atomic absorption analysis. The activity concentrations in Bq/kg dry weight of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were measured using gamma-ray spectrometry where the range and average were found to be (03.04 - 10.91) 07.90, (03.19 - 13.31) 09.14 and (95.59 - 361.52) 234.81 in Basalt, for Granite (33.81 - 89.13) 80.85, (28.42 - 112.77) 68.50 and (1260.13 - 1629.21) 1376.69, for Gold (00.78 - 11.84) 04.73, (01.48 - 4.69) 02.69 and (13.76 - 445.09) 197.58, for Andesite 05.72, 03.73 and 471.93, and for Marble 01.56, 01.38 and 10.15 respectively. Most results existing within the given values in building materials by UNSCEAR 1993 included Ra_eq(Bq/kg), D (nGy/h), D_eff(mSv/y), H_exand H_in, which meant that it was safe for humans.

Keywords

Arabian, Shield Industrial Raw Materials, Harrat

Share and Cite:

Hamidalddin, S. (2015) Measurements of Natural Radioactivity of Industrial Raw Materials from the West of Saudi Arabia (Arabian Shield). Journal of Modern Physics, 6, 510-520. doi: 10.4236/jmp.2015.64055.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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