Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009

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No: 1007

Conference: Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009

Title: Radiological Health Risk Evaluation of Building Materials and Raw Material Used in Dwellings in Slovenia

Theme: Radiation and Environment

Author(s): Benjamin Zorko, Denis Glavič-Cindro, Branko Vodenik, Marijan Nečemer, Petra Maver Modec, Matjaž Korun, Tim Vidmar, Gregor Omahen, Marko Giacomelli, Milko Križman

Contact : Benjamin Zorko

E-mail: benjamin.zorko@ijs.si

Address: Institut "Jožef Stefan"
1001 Ljubljana

Country: Slovenia

A half of a million dwellings (houses, block of flats and other buildings) are standing in Slovenia, as following the information obtained by Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia in 2004. 58% dwellings were constructed using clay bricks, 16% concrete bricks, 16% were all-in concrete, 8% were all-in stone and 2% were wooden buildings. More than 55% of dwellings were built in rural area. The two thirds of the dwellings in Slovenia are older than 30 years. The direct exposure to ionising radiation due to building materials and raw materials can represent a radiation protection problem and potentially radiological health risk. The important radiological consequences of the natural radioactivity in building materials are two-fold: the irradiation of the human body by gamma-rays and the irradiation of the lung tissues by radon and its progeny.
In the present research study, which was financially supported by the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration, the mass activity concentration of the radionuclides in samples of commonly used building materials, raw materials or additives from natural igneous origin as used in high-level constructions in Slovenia were measured using gamma spectrometry. Natural environmental radioactivity arises mainly from primordial radionuclides, such as 40K and the radionuclides from 232Th and 238U series, which occurs at trace levels in all ground formations.
For the materials considered in the study, the activity concentration index, as defined in the publication RP 112 of the European Commission, was calculated. The building materials and raw materials analysed are mainly type A1, but some items should be considered in categories A2 or B1. Those materials are mostly related to the igneous origin materials (counter-tops) and bricks made up of coal fly ash. The average calculated absorbed dose rate inside of a dwelling was 80,8 nGy/h, ranging from 1,34 nGy/h in the sand to 300 nGy/h in the coal-fly-ashed brick. The average effective dose rate indoors calculated on annual basis for individuals, derived by the absorbed dose rate in air, was 0,4 mSv, taking into account the indoor occupancy time 7000 hours/year and the conversion factor 0,7 Sv/Gy. The effective doses, exceeding the annual dose criterion of 0.3 mSv, according to the regulations of the EC publication RP 112 should be taken into account in terms of radiation protection and radiation controls should be recommended.

No:	1007
Conference:	Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009
Title:	Radiological Health Risk Evaluation of Building Materials and Raw Material Used in Dwellings in Slovenia
Theme:	Radiation and Environment
Author(s):	Benjamin Zorko, Denis Glavič-Cindro, Branko Vodenik, Marijan Nečemer, Petra Maver Modec, Matjaž Korun, Tim Vidmar, Gregor Omahen, Marko Giacomelli, Milko Križman
Contact :	Benjamin Zorko
E-mail:	benjamin.zorko@ijs.si
Address:	Institut "Jožef Stefan" 1001 Ljubljana
Country:	Slovenia

A half of a million dwellings (houses, block of flats and other buildings) are standing in Slovenia, as following the information obtained by Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia in 2004. 58% dwellings were constructed using clay bricks, 16% concrete bricks, 16% were all-in concrete, 8% were all-in stone and 2% were wooden buildings. More than 55% of dwellings were built in rural area. The two thirds of the dwellings in Slovenia are older than 30 years. The direct exposure to ionising radiation due to building materials and raw materials can represent a radiation protection problem and potentially radiological health risk. The important radiological consequences of the natural radioactivity in building materials are two-fold: the irradiation of the human body by gamma-rays and the irradiation of the lung tissues by radon and its progeny. In the present research study, which was financially supported by the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration, the mass activity concentration of the radionuclides in samples of commonly used building materials, raw materials or additives from natural igneous origin as used in high-level constructions in Slovenia were measured using gamma spectrometry. Natural environmental radioactivity arises mainly from primordial radionuclides, such as 40K and the radionuclides from 232Th and 238U series, which occurs at trace levels in all ground formations. For the materials considered in the study, the activity concentration index, as defined in the publication RP 112 of the European Commission, was calculated. The building materials and raw materials analysed are mainly type A1, but some items should be considered in categories A2 or B1. Those materials are mostly related to the igneous origin materials (counter-tops) and bricks made up of coal fly ash. The average calculated absorbed dose rate inside of a dwelling was 80,8 nGy/h, ranging from 1,34 nGy/h in the sand to 300 nGy/h in the coal-fly-ashed brick. The average effective dose rate indoors calculated on annual basis for individuals, derived by the absorbed dose rate in air, was 0,4 mSv, taking into account the indoor occupancy time 7000 hours/year and the conversion factor 0,7 Sv/Gy. The effective doses, exceeding the annual dose criterion of 0.3 mSv, according to the regulations of the EC publication RP 112 should be taken into account in terms of radiation protection and radiation controls should be recommended.