DOI: 10.

1007/s10967-007-1125-x Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Natural radioactivity and indoor radiation measurements

in buildings and building materials in Gobichettipalayam town
G. M. Brahmanandhan,1 J. Malathi,1 D. Khanna,1 S. Selvasekarapandian,1* N. Nidhya,2
R. Usharani,2 M. T. Jose,3 V. Meenakshisundaram3
1 Solid State and Radiation Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore – 641 046, India
2 Department of Physics, PKR College for Women, Gobichettipalayam, Erode – 638 476, India
3 Radiological Safety Section, Health Physics Division, IGCAR, Kalpakkam – 626 103, India

(Received September 18, 2006)

Samples of natural and manufactured building materials used by the people of Gobichettipalayam town have been analyzed for 226Ra, 232Th and
40K using gamma-ray spectrometry. Radium equivalent activity of the materials has been measured using the formula given by OECD and the
geometric mean value of sand, clay and cements are found to be 53.53 Bq.kg–1, 89.09 Bq.kg–1 and 72.25 Bq.kg–1, respectively. The radium
equivalent activities obtained in the building materials are all well below the acceptable limit. The indoor gamma-dose has been measured using
thermoluminescence dosimeters and it was found in the range of 1051.2–3946.0 PGy/year. The annual effective indoor gamma radiation dose to
the people of Gobichettipalayam town has been found to be 0.8 mSv/y.

Introduction building materials (Raeq). Apart from this, the indoor

gamma radiation dose in selected dwellings spread
Building materials are the main sources of indoor evenly throughout the town has also been measured by
gamma-radiation, besides terrestrial and cosmic using thermoluminescence technique with CaSO4 :Dy as
radiation. Almost every building material contains phosphor.
226Ra, 232 Th and their progenies and 40K radionuclides.
Knowledge of radioactivity present in building materials Experimental
enables to assess any possible radiological hazard to
people by the use of such materials since people spend Gobichettipalayam town is famous for its ever green
80% of their time indoors. The possible radiation hazard nature and it is one of the important locations for film
may be due to radon, which is a carcinogenic gas that is shootings in Tamilnadu. This is one of the important
released from the trapped 226Ra in the mineral grains of municipality towns in north west part of the Erode
building materials. It is found that the percentage of District, of Tamilnadu and it is the Taluk head quarters
radon entry from building elements, subjacent earth, out too. The town population is about 55,150. The work
door air, water supply and natural gas is 21%, 56%, force constitutes about 38% of the population and 31%
20%, 2% and 1%, respectively.1 of it is engaged in agriculture, 13% in small industries
The measurements also help in the development of and 56% in trading and other activities. The main source
standards and guidelines for the use and management of of water to this town is Bhavani river. The majority of
building materials. Estimated world average absorbed the houses have cement flooring and tiled or concrete
dose rates in air within typical masonry dwellings is roofing. Very few houses have soil floor without any
reported to be 80 nGy.h–1 (20–190 nGy.h–1).1 cement pasting and thatched roofing.
Nationwide surveys have been carried out to determine Seven types of sand are being used by the people for
the specific activity of building materials in many the construction of houses. Out of seven sand samples,
countries. This interest reflects the magnitude of the six samples have been obtained from the local quarries;
total exposure of the public due to indoor radiation one sand sample (Sand-IV, Karur Sand) is from “Karur”
arising from the usage of various types of building quarry. Eight clay samples have been collected from 8
materials. industries which supply bricks for construction of
The natural radioactivity in some Indian building houses in the study area. Four different branded Portland
materials has been reported by some authors in selected cements (Chettinad, Ramco, L&T and Coromandal)
areas.2–4 However, the detailed information of each state used for the construction of dwellings have been
is scanty. The aim of the present study is to determine collected from local market.
the activity concentration of 226Ra, 232 Th and 40K in Samples are dried in oven at 110 °C for 6 hours and
building materials used in Gobichettipalayam town, an then sieved and packed in plastic containers. The
important town in Tamilnadu, South India, and to concentration of the radionuclides (226Ra, 232 Th and
estimate the radium equivalent activities of these 40K) in the building material samples has been

* E-mail: [email protected]

0236–5731/USD 20.00 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest

© 2007 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest Springer, Dordrecht
 G. M. BRAHMANANDHAN et al.: NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND INDOOR RADIATION MEASUREMENTS

determined using a 3"u3" NaI(Tl) based gamma-ray be lower in the sand samples collected from the local
spectrometer. The activity concentrations of various quarries than in the sand sample from “Karur”, which is
radionuclides of interest have been determined from the situated on the dry bed of Cauvery river. This river
energy spectrum of the corresponding samples. The source is in Kudagu Hills in Western Ghats and its
peaks corresponding to 1.46 MeV (40K), 1.764 MeV mouth is in the Bay of Bengal. The Western Ghats are
(214Bi) and 2.614 MeV (208Tl) are used to calculate thought to be a source of monazite, a thorium bearing
activity concentrations of 40K, 226Ra and 232 Th, mineral. This may be the reason for the highest
respectively.5 concentration of thorium and radium observed in the
A thermoluminescent dosimeter has been used to Karur sample. 40K is found to be the highest in the sand
measure indoor radiation. A total of 36 different sample collected in quarry 2 (Sand II), since the quarry
dwelling have been chosen uniformly throughout is surrounded by agricultural lands and 40K may have
Gobichettipalayam town. Dwellings have been chosen in leached from the surrounding areas and deposited in the
such a way that they have different types of flooring, sands.
roofing, etc. The method described by YAMASHITA6 has The activity concentrations of thorium, radium and
been utilized for the preparation of thermoluminescence potassium have been found to be in the range of 20.67–
phosphor CaSO4 :Dy. Braze Capsules filled with 36.42 Bq.kg–1, 17.67–33.38 Bq.kg–1 and 35.41–
CaSO4 :Dy phosphor have been wrapped in a thick 219.55 Bq.kg–1, respectively, for the clay samples. It
paper and kept in a polythene bag to protect it from may be observed that the activities of thorium and
moisture and water. These TLDs have been suspended radium do not vary much from sample to sample,
1 m below from the roof of the houses. After 90 days of although this is not the case with potassium. The
exposure all the TLDs are read using a PC based TL variation found in the potassium concentration may be
meter at a heating rate of 300 °C/60 s. due to the fact that the “clay” has been collected by the
brick industries only from the old agricultural lands.
Results and discussion From Table 1, it can be observed that the Chettinad
cement has high values of radium and thorium.
Activity of the primordial radionuclides
Chettinad cements manufacturing facility is on the banks
Table 1 shows the activity concentration of radium, of Cauvery river and the ingredients needed for the
thorium and potassium in the building materials. In cement manufacturing are taken nearby the river on the
seven sand samples, the activity concentrations of foothills of Western Ghats; hence, it may be the reason
thorium, radium and potassium have been found to lie in for the high concentration of thorium and uranium.
the range of 10.96–52.92 Bq.kg–1, 9.61–5.40 Bq.kg–1, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the frequency distribution of
BDL 13.25–83.39 Bq.kg–1, respectively. Activity the 232 Th, 226Ra and 40K activity concentrations in the
concentrations of 232 Th and 226Ra have been found to building materials.

Table 1. Activity concentrations of the primordial radionuclides in the building materials

Place Building material Activity concentration, Bq.kg–1 Radium equivalent

232 Th 226Ra 40K dose, Bq.kg–1
Bhavani – I Sand – I 10.60 9.61 BDL 24.76
Bhavani – II Sand – II 11.74 13.38 83.39 36.58
Bhavani – III Sand – III 16.43 12.56 BDL 36.05
Athani – III Sand – VII 35.74 29.77 46.26 84.44
Athani –I Sand – V 18.11 13.85 BDL 39.74
Athani – II Sand – VI 41.23 31.52 BDL 90.47
Karur Sand – IV 52.92 45.40 76.62 126.97
Gobichettipalayam – I Clay – I 35.11 33.38 81.70 89.87
Gobichettipalayam – II Clay – II 23.19 22.63 92.84 62.94
Gobichettipalayam – III Clay – III 30.25 31.15 112.00 83.03
Gobichettipalayam – IV Clay – IV 20.67 17.67 35.41 49.95
Gobichettipalayam – V Clay – V 36.42 33.35 104.25 93.45
Athani – I Clay – VI 23.06 22.49 92.03 62.55
Athani – II Clay – VII 23.79 29.78 219.55 80.70
Athani – III Clay – VIII 27.42 23.79 53.55 67.12
Chettinad cement Cement – 1 55.24 81.02 29.55 162.28
Ramco cement Cement – II 9.76 33.73 BDL 47.68
Coromandal cement Cement – III 23.62 37.63 BDL 71.40
L & T cement Cement – IV 39.39 51.84 75.90 114.01

BDL: 13.25 Bq.kg–1 for 40K.

2
 G. M. BRAHMANANDHAN et al.: NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND INDOOR RADIATION MEASUREMENTS

Fig. 1. Frequency distribution of activity concentration of 232Th

Fig. 2. Frequency distribution of activity concentration of 226Ra

Radium equivalent activity construction materials with Raeq value less than
370 Bq/kg. From Table 1, it is clear that the Raeq range
Radium equivalent activity (Raeq) is calculated using lies between 24.77 Bq/kg and 162.29 Bq/kg having a
the formula: geometric mean of 67.61 Bq/kg. Thus, all the
construction materials used in Gobichettipalayam town
Raeq = ARa+(ATh.1.43)+(AK.0.077)
selected for this study lie well below the allowed limit.
where ARa, ATh and AK are the activity concentrations of Consequently, these materials do not pose a significant
the three radionuclides 226Ra, 232 Th and 40K, radiological hazard when used for construction of
respectively, expressed in Bq/kg, and are shown in buildings.
Table 1. SOMLAI7 has recommended the use of

3
 G. M. BRAHMANANDHAN et al.: NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND INDOOR RADIATION MEASUREMENTS

Fig. 3. Frequency distribution of activity concentration of 40K

Fig. 4. Frequency distribution of indoor gamma dose rate, measured by TLD

Indoor gamma-radiation results The geometric mean value of TLD dose rate is
1533.6 PGy/year. The highest value observed at
Indoor gamma-radiation measured by using TLD for Kosannagar-II may be due to the higher concentration of
different type of dwellings is given in Table 2. The 232 Th, 226Ra and 40K in the soil and the building
indoor gamma radiation dose from TLD varies from materials. The contribution to indoor dose is mainly
1051.2 to 3946.0 PGy/year. The maximum value is depending upon the presence of the primordial
3946.0 PGy/year which has been measured in a tiled radionuclides in the nearby soil. The lowest value
house at Kosannagar II. The minimum value is observed at Pariyur-I may be due to the lower
1051.2 PGy/year in a tiled house at Pariyur I. Figure 4 concentration of the primordial radionuclides.
shows the frequency distribution of indoor gamma dose
rate.

4
 G. M. BRAHMANANDHAN et al.: NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND INDOOR RADIATION MEASUREMENTS

Table 2. The indoor gamma dose measured in Gobichettipalayam town using TLDs

Place Ventilation Roofing Flooring Dose, PGy/year

Karattur-I Poor Concrete Cement 1452.4
Arungarden-I Poor Concrete Mosaic 1878.0
Kosannagar-I Poor Concrete Cement 1719.6
Kosannagar-II Poor Tiled Cement 3946.0
Muthunagar-I Good Tiled Cement 1554.4
Muthunagar-II Poor Thatched Cement 1392.4
Muthunagar-III Poor Thatched Cement 1890.0
Muthunagar-IV Good Tiled Cement 1580.8
Modachur-I (I-floor) Good Concrete Cement 1338.0
Modachur-II Poor Tiled Cement 1317.6
Modachur-III Poor Tiled Cement 1326.4
Karattur-II Poor Tiled Cement 1199.2
Vellalapalayam-I Good Concrete Cement 1376.4
Seethalakshmi- Puram-I Good Concrete Mosaic 1350.0
Arungarden-II Poor Concrete Mosaic 2101.2
Kosannagar-II Poor Concrete Cement 1634.4
Pariyur-I Poor Tiled Cement 1051.2
Pariyur-II Poor Tiled Cement 1684.4
Muruganpudur-I (II-floor) Good Concrete Cement 2384.8
Nanjagondapalayam-I Poor Concrete Mosaic 1836.8
Pariyur-III Poor Tiled Cement 1328.4
Muruganpudur-II Good Concrete, I-floor Cement 1440.4
Muruganpudur-III Good Concrete, IV-floor Cement 1239.2
Vellalapalayam-II Good Concrete, I-floor Cement 1582.8
Vellalapalayam-III Good Concrete, II-floor Cement 1299.6
Ng.Palayam-II Poor Concrete Mosaic 1184.0
Ng.Palayam-III Good Concrete Mosaic 1378.0
Ng.Palayam-IV Poor Tiled Cement 1243.6
Kallipattiperivu-I Good Concrete Mosaic 2009.6
S. Puram-II Good Concrete Mosaic 1130.8
Kallipattiperivu-II Good Concrete Mosaic 1482.0
Arun garden-III Good Concrete Mosaic 1332.0
Kallipattiperivu-III Good Concrete Mosaic 1496.0
SPuram-III Good Concrete Mosaic 1470.2
Kallipattiperivu-IV Good Concrete Mosaic 2176.2
Muruganpudur-IV Good Concrete, III-floor Mosaic 1381.6
Geometric mean: 1533.6
Standard deviation: 507.6

Conclusions 2. A. KUMAR, M. KUMAR, B. SINGH, S. SINGH, J. Radiat. Meas., 36

(2003) 465.
3. V. KUMAR, T. V. RAMACHANDRAN, R. PRASAD, Appl. Radiation
The radium equivalent activities obtained for the Isotopes, 51 (1999) 93.
building materials used in the Gobichettipalayam town 4. M. V. NAGESWARA RAO, S. S. BHATI, P. SESHU, A. R. REDDY,
are well below the acceptable limit given by OECD.8 Radiation Prot. Dosim., 63 (1996) 207.
The use of these materials in construction of dwellings is 5. B. Y. LALIT, T. V. RAMACHANDRAN, J. Radiat. Environ.
considered to be safe for human habitation. Biophys., 18 (1980) 13.
6. T. YAMASHITA, N. NADA, H. ONISHI, S. KITAMURA, Health
The indoor gamma dose using TLDs in Phys., 21 (1971) 295.
Gobichettipalayam town has been measured and the 7. J. SOMALAI, M. HORVATH, B. KANYAR, Z. LENDVAI,
dose rate lies in the range of 1051.2–3946.0 PGy/year. C. S. ZEMETH, Health Phys., 75 (1989) 648.
The annual effective dose in Gobichettipalayam town 8. OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and
(0.84 mSv/y) is well below the recommended value Development), Exposure to Radiation from the Natural
Radioactivity in Building Materials, Report by a Group of Experts
(1 mSv/y) by ICRP.9 of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, OECD, Paris, 1979.
9. ICRP-60, Radiation Protection: 1990 Recommendations of the
References International Commission on Radiological Protection, Pergamon
Press, Oxford, 1990.
1. UNSCEAR, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects
of Atomic Radiation: Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionizing
Radiation, Report to the General Assembly, United Nations,
New York, 1993.