Radiological hazard indices and elemental composition of Brazilian and Swiss ornamental rocks

Thammiris El Hajj; Paulo Sergio Cardoso Silva; Mauro Pietro Angelo Gandolla; Gabriel Alencar Silva Almeida Dantas; Allan Santos; Homero Delboni Jr.

doi:10.15392/bjrs.v5i2.269

Authors

Thammiris El Hajj University of Alfenas
Paulo Sergio Cardoso Silva Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares
Mauro Pietro Angelo Gandolla Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI)
Gabriel Alencar Silva Almeida Dantas University of São Paulo
Allan Santos Institute of Nuclear and Energetic Research
Homero Delboni Jr. University of São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v5i2.269

Keywords:

Ornamental rocks, radiological risk index, granite, elemental composition

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the radiological risk index of ornamental rocks sold both in Brazil and Europe and to correlate its radioactive content with their chemical composition. The ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K mean values were 62 ± 65, 122 ± 111, 1126 ± 516 Bq kg^-1 for Brazilian and 93 ± 59, 70 ± 67 and 1005 ± 780 Bq kg^-1 for Swiss samples, respectively. The radiological index: radium equivalent, external hazard index, absorbed dose rate in air, annual gonadal equivalent dose, annual effective dose equivalent and excess lifetime cancer risk for Brazilian and Swiss samples were calculated. The main contribution for the radiological indices observed was the radionuclide ²³²Th, which is associated with REE, Br, Hf, Na, Rb, Sb and Zr in the rock matrix.

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