title: Investigating the effect of using granite and marble as a building material on the radiation exposure of humans.
abstract: The aim of this study was to comprehensively study the radiological hazards of granite and marble used as a building material in Egypt. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K were determined using high-resolution hyper-pure germanium detectors in 25 samples of different types of commercially available granite and marble. The measured activity concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data for Egypt and other countries. In order to assess the radiological impact, the radiation hazard parameters such as radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)) and hazard level index (I(γ)) were calculated. The internal and external dose rates due to natural radionuclides in granite and marble were also calculated. The data obtained were considered as helpful  in regulating the use of building materials in Egypt.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Faculty of Science,  Fayoum University, Fayoum,  Egypt.
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ebaid
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Bakr
mesh_terms: D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000032:analysis*; D004534:Egypt; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; C007886:granite; D013910:Thorium; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D011883:Radium