Assessment of Natural Radioactivity and Radiological Hazards in Ceramic Samples Importer for the Local Market in Benghazi-Libya

Abstract

The natural radioactivity of 15 ceramic samples imported from Italy, China, and Egypt to the local market of Benghazi city-Libya, was measured by the means of a gamma-ray spectroscopy system with an HPG detector. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were ranged from 75.75 to 85.63 Bq.kg-1, 44.10to 65.20 Bq.kg-1 and 819.52 to 959.27 Bq.kg-1, respectively. The radium equivalent, external hazard index, gamma radiation index, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose, and cancer risk factor were calculated using the above measurements in order to assess the radiological hazard associated with the studied ceramic samples. The average values of these radiological indices for the ceramic samples were found to be; 232.29 Bq.kg-1, 0.63, 1.71, 107.11 nGy.h-1, 0.13 mSv.y-1 and 0.43, respectively. In general, the average value of radium equivalent for ceramic samples is not exceeded the recommended value of 370 Bq.kg-1, the external hazard index is lower than unity, and for all samples the annual effective dose below the recommended world limits. On the other hand, some radiological hazard indices were reported to be higher than the recommended world limits. The ceramic samples concerned in this study might be recommended to be utilized as building materials for dwelling construction. Keywords: Natural radioactivity; Radiological hazard; Absorbed dose rate; HPGe detector; Ceramic