Evaluation Of Gamma Activity Concentrations (226Ra, 232Th, 40K) And Related Potential Radiological Risks In Granitic Rocks From Nuweibi Mining Area, Egyptian Nubian Shield

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Prof. of Petrology, Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt

2 Prof. of Radioactivity, Radiation Protection Department, Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority, Cairo, Egypt

3 Nuclear materials authority, Cairo, Egypt

4 Nuclear Materials Authority, Cairo, Egypt

5 Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University

Abstract

In the present study, we focus on the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K measured using HPGe in twenty-six (26) albite granite and granodiorite samples from the Nuweibi mining area in the central Eastern Desert between latitudes 25○ 11\ 30\\ to 25○ 12\ 35\\ N and longitudes 34○ 28\ 50\\ to 34○ 30\ 10\\ E, which is a part of the Egyptian Nubian Shield of Neoproterozoic age. The Nuweibi geology comprises an ophiolite assemblage (serpentinites and metagabbros), tuffaceous metasediments, syntectonic older granitoids (granodiorite and tonalite) and finally post-collisional younger granites (albite granite). The average activity concentrations were 11.2, 11.9 and 289 Bq/kg for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the granodiorite samples, and 42.2, 71.5 and 811 in the albite granites, respectively. Absorbed gamma dose rates (ADRA) were 24.50 nGy/h for granodiorites and 97.72 nGy/h for albite granites, and outdoor annual effective doses (AEDout) were 0.03 mSv/year for granodiorites, and 0.12mSv/year for albite granites, respectively. Calculated gamma absorbed dose rates in air and annual outdoor effective doses were also compared with literature in terms of health issues and environmental impacts of workable albite granite in the area of study.

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics