Natural radioactivity contents in glass used in building materials in Egypt

ABSTRACT

The concentrations of natural radioisotopes in four different glass samples [local and imported] used in Egypt to large extent in building materials have been measured using gamma-ray spectroscopy. A low background gamma-ray spectrometer employing a 50% p-type HPGe detector was used for these measurements. The average radioactivity levels were 16.8 +/- 6.0, 6.0 +/- 4.6 and 76.2 +/- 51.5 Bq/kg for [226]Ra, [232]Th and [40]K, respectively. Local and imported glass samples have comparable average activity levels of [226]Ra, [232]Th and [40]K. However, the concentrations of these isotopes in the measured imported glass showed a wider range compared with local samples. The average values of radium-equivalent indices, absorbed dose rate and indoor annual equivalent dose were also calculated for the investigated samples to assess the radiation hazards arising from those glass materials in the construction of dwellings. The results are discussed and compared with other reported ones