Radiological hazard assessments of radionuclides in building materials, soils and sands from the Gaza Strip and the north of Sinai Peninsula

Abstract

Radiological hazards to the residents of the Gaza Strip, Palestine and the north of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, were determined using the naturally occurring radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) in 69 samples of building materials (demolition debris, plasters, concretes, from recycling plants and raw cements from suppliers), soils and sands collected in the field. The radiological hazard indices and dose rates calculated with the activity concentrations of radionuclides in those materials determined by gamma-ray spectrometry indicate that the values are all within the global limits recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 2000 and European Commission 1999. The results of Spearman's correlation and hierarchical cluster analysis for 210Pb in the building materials, soils and sands suggest that the samples include 210Pb from the atmospheric fallout. The medium correlation between 232Th and 40K in demolition debris implies that their activity concentrations are characteristic of the building materials and constituents of the demolition debris. Non-natural ratio of 238U/235U was found in the soil and sand samples collected in the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, 137Cs and 241Am were detected in some soil, sand and demolition debris samples analyzed in this study. The origins of those anthropogenic radionuclides were considered.