Sains Malaysiana 47(5)(2018): 1017–1023

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4705-18

 

Radiological Dose Assessment of Natural Radioactivity in Malaysian Tiles Using Resrad-Build Computer Code

(Penilaian Dos Sinaran Keradioaktifan Tabii dalam Jubin di Malaysia Menggunakan Kod Komputer Resrad-Build)

 

AZNAN FAZLI ISMAIL^1,2,3*, SHITTU ABDULLAHI^1,4, SUPIAN SAMAT¹ & MUHAMAD SAMUDI YASIR^1,2,3

 

¹Centre of Physics and Novel Materials, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

²Nuclear Technology Research Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

³Nuclear Science Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

⁴Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Gombe State University, P.M.B. 127 Gombe, Nigeria

 

Received: 15 September 2017/Accepted: 2 January 2018

 

ABSTRACT

This research reports the annual effective dose of dwellers based on the finding of natural radioactivity concentrations in Malaysian tiles. A total of 30 tiles samples obtained from the manufacturer or bought directly from local hardware store. Natural radioactivity was analyzed using gamma spectrometry system for 12 h counting times. The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the analyzed samples ranged from 37.50 – 158.05 Bq kg^-1, 42.22 – 80.19 Bq kg^-1 and 349.46 – 750.18 Bq kg^-1, respectively. The determined radium equivalent activity was below than the recommended limit of 370 Bq kg^-1. The external dose received by dwellers due to natural radionuclides in tiles were projected for 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 years through six exposure pathways using Resrad-build computer code. The results showed that the annual effective dose received by dwellers increased for the investigated timelines but still lower than the annual recommended limit of 1500 μSv. The simulation result also indicates that radon gas was the primary radiation exposure which contributes 80-94 % from the total radiation exposure to dwellers.

 

Keyword: Annual effective dose; natural radionuclides; Resrad-Build computer code; tiles

 

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini melaporkan kadar dos yang diterima oleh penghuni bangunan berdasarkan kepekatan radionuklid tabii dalam jubin di Malaysia. Sebanyak 30 sampel jubin telah diperoleh daripada pengeluar atau dibeli secara terus daripada kedai. Kepekatan aktiviti radionuklid tabii dianalisis menggunakan sistem spektrometri sinar gama dengan masa pembilangan selama 12 jam. Kepekatan aktiviti 226Ra, 232Th, dan 40K dalam sampel masing-masing berada dalam julat 37.50 - 158.05 Bq kg^-1, 42.22 - 80.19 Bq kg^-1 dan 349.46 - 750.18 Bq kg^-1. Nilai aktiviti kesetaraan radium yang ditentukan adalah di bawah had yang disyorkan ititu 370 Bq kg^-1. Dos dedahan tahunan yang diterima oleh penghuni bangunan berpunca daripada radionuklid tabii dalam jubin telah ditentukan menggunakan kod komputer Resrad-build bagi 1, 5, 10, 20 dan 50 tahun melalui enam laluan dedahan. Keputusan kajian mendapati kadar dos dedahan tahunan yang diterima oleh penghuni meningkat bagi tempoh masa yang dikaji tetapi masih rendah daripada had dos tahunan yang dicadangkan iaitu 1500 μSv. Hasil simulasi juga menunjukkan gas radon adalah sumber dedahan sinaran utama yang menyumbang 80-94% daripada jumlah dedahan sinaran kepada penghuni bangunan.

 

Kata kunci: Dos dedahan tahunan; jubin; kod komputer Resrad-build; radionuklid tabii

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*Corresponding author; email: aznan@ukm.edu.my