Theoretical calculations of radiation exposure from Egyptian phospho-gypsum

A theoretical study and computer simulation search program has been developed to calculate the gamma radiation doses from thin sheets of Egyptian phosphogypsum containing an average 226 Ra concentration of 750 Bq/kg. A comparison study using a natural gypsum has been made. The calculations presented in this paper are much more realistic in aspect that they take the geometry of the building materials into account. The methodology outlined in this paper can be used for calculations of gamma doses for any building material which satisfied assumptions used here, in particular that there is no significant absorption of gamma radiation in the air or the source material. The obtained results of this developed program are compared with other published results

Gamma doses from granite sheet

The use of granite in buildings may constitute an additional source of radiation exposure to both workers and members of the public from gamma radiation produced by radioactive decay in the granite-sheet. The calculations presented in this paper indicated that if different types of granite sheets 2 cm thick containing a 226Ra eq concentration of 236.09889 Bq/kg for red granite and 360.92307 Bq/kg for rose granite are used in the walls and floor of a bank hall of dimensions up to 8 m x 10 m x 3 m and 10 m x 12 m x 3 m, the annual effective dose from gamma radiation for a worker or public person occupying the bank hall is lower than the maximum acceptable 226Ra concentration in building materials. The calculations presented in this paper are much more realistic in that they take the geometry of the building materials into account