HR: 0800h
AN: MR11A-0927    [Abstracts]
TI: Natural Radioactivity of Quarry raw Material in Israel
AU: Haquin, G
EM: gustavo@soreq.gov.il
AF: Radiation Protection Unit, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, 71700 Israel
AU: * Gazit-Yaari, N
EM: naamag@soreq.gov.il
AF: Radiation Protection Unit, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, 71700 Israel
AU: Yungreis, Z
AF: Radiation Protection Unit, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, 71700 Israel
AU: Braun, M
AF: GEO-PROSPECT Ltd., Hanamer 21, Jerusalem, 91036 Israel
AU: Margaliot, M
AF: Radiation Protection Unit, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, 71700 Israel
AB: During the past decade Natural Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) has been receiving growing attention by radiation protection agencies, including chronic exposure to radon and radiation from building materials. A new Israeli standard (5098) which limit the radionuclide concentration in building material entered into force in 2003. Building materials are often made of natural raw materials which contain natural radionuclides from the $^{238}$U-$^{226}$Ra, $^{232}$Th decay series and $^{40}$K that occur naturally in the Earth's crust. The radionuclide concentration in the building material depends on the source of the raw material, manufacturing process and the addition of technically enhanced NORM (Te NORM) like fly ash, phospho-gypsum, etc. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial variation of the natural radioactivity in quarries in Israel, the dependency on the type of quarried substance and to asses the raw materials by radiation protection criteria. The study covered a total of 25 quarries all over Israel that manufacture different types of quarried substances (Limestone, Dolomite, Basalt, Gypsum etc.). Each of the quarries was sampled for three different aggregate sizes. The quarries were selected according to geological-geographical criteria such that all types of quarried materials throughout Israel will be investigated. The radionuclide measurement was performed by Gamma spectrometry according to standard procedures. A simulation was carried out on different concrete mixtures to asses the individual effective dose from the building materials. Results indicate large variations in the radionuclide concentration of raw materials in Israel. An optimization based on radiation protection criteria is proposed to minimize radiation exposure from building material.
DE: 3999 General or miscellaneous
DE: 1020 Composition of the crust
DE: 1040 Isotopic composition/chemistry
DE: 1099 General or miscellaneous
SC: Mineral and Rock Physics [MR]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting