Radon exhalation rate of some building materials used in Egypt. 2005

A F Maged, and F A Ashraf
National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, P. O. Box 29, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt. magedali@hotmail.com

Indoor radon has been recognized as one of the health hazards for mankind. Common building materials used for construction of houses, which are considered as one of the major sources of this gas in indoor environment, have been studied for exhalation rate of radon. Non-nuclear industries, such as coal fired power plants or fertilizer production facilities, generate large amounts of waste gypsum as by-products. Compared to other building materials waste gypsum from fertilizer production facilities (phosphogypsum) shows increased rates of radon exhalation. In the present, investigation solid state alpha track detectors, CR-39 plastic detectors, were used to measure the indoor radon concentration and the radon exhalation rates from some building materials used in Egypt. The indoor radon concentration and the radon exhalation rate ranges were found to be 24-55 Bq m(-3 )and 11-223 mBq m(-2) h(-1), respectively. The effective dose equivalent range for the indoor was found 0.6-1.4 mSv y(-1). The equilibrium factor between radon and its daughters increased with the increase of relative humidity.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011886 Radon A naturally radioactive element with atomic symbol Rn, and atomic number 86. It is a member of the noble gas family found in soil, and is released during the decay of RADIUM. Actinon,Thoron (Element)
D002133 Calcium Sulfate A calcium salt that is used for a variety of purposes including: building materials, as a desiccant, in dentistry as an impression material, cast, or die, and in medicine for immobilizing casts and as a tablet excipient. It exists in various forms and states of hydration. Plaster of Paris is a mixture of powdered and heat-treated gypsum. Dental Gypsum,Dental Stone, Artificial,Gypsum,Plaster of Paris,Alabaster,Anhydrous Sulfate of Lime,Artificial Dental Stone,Calcium Sulfate (1:1), Dihydrate,Calcium Sulfate (1:1), Hemihydrate,Calcium Sulfate (2:1),Calcium Sulfate Dihydrate,Calcium Sulfate, Anhydrous,Calcium Sulfate, Dihydrate,Calcium Sulfate, Hemihydrate,Calcium Sulphate,Drierite,Gypsite,Gypsum, Dental,Karstenite,Stone, Artificial Dental
D003252 Construction Materials Supplies used in building. Building Materials,Building Material,Construction Material,Material, Building,Material, Construction,Materials, Building,Materials, Construction
D004534 Egypt A country in northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula Its capital is Cairo. Arab Republic of Egypt,United Arab Republic
D006813 Humidity A measure of the amount of WATER VAPOR in the air. Humidities
D000396 Air Pollutants, Radioactive Pollutants present in air which exhibit radioactivity. Radioactive Air Pollutants,Pollutants, Radioactive Air
D000512 Alpha Particles Positively charged particles composed of two protons and two NEUTRONS, i.e. equivalent to HELIUM nuclei, which are emitted during disintegration of heavy ISOTOPES. Alpha rays have very strong ionizing power, but weak penetrability. Alpha Rays,Alpha Radiation,Radiation, Alpha,Alpha Particle,Alpha Ray,Particle, Alpha,Particles, Alpha,Ray, Alpha,Rays, Alpha
D016902 Air Pollution, Indoor The contamination of indoor air. Air Quality, Indoor,Indoor Air Pollution,Indoor Air Quality,Pollution, Indoor Air

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