title: Multivariate statistical analysis of radiological data of building materials used in Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu, India.
abstract: Using γ spectrometry, the concentration of the naturally occurring radionuclides (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K has been measured in soil, sand, cement, clay and bricks, which are used as building materials in Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu, India. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the criterion formula (CF), indoor gamma absorbed dose rate (DR), annual effective dose (HR), activity utilization index (AUI), alpha index (Iα), gamma index (Iγ), external radiation hazard index (Hex), internal radiation hazard index (Hin), representative level index (RLI), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) associated with the natural radionuclides are calculated to assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in the building materials. From the analysis, it is found that these materials used for the construction of dwellings are safe for the inhabitants. The radiological data were processed using multivariate statistical methods to determine the similarities and correlation among the various samples. The frequency distributions for all radionuclides were analyzed. The data set consisted of 15 measured variables. The Pearson correlation coefficient reveals that the (226)Ra distribution in building materials is controlled by the variation of the (40)K concentration. Principal component analysis (PCA) yields a two-component representation of the acquired data from the building materials in Tiruvannamalai, wherein 94.9% of the total variance is explained. The resulting dendrogram of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) classified the 30 building materials into four major groups using 15 variables.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate and Research Department of Physics, Government Arts College, Tiruvannamalai 606603, Tamilnadu, India. Electronic address: ravisankarphysics@gmail.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ravisankar
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate and Research Department of Physics, Government Arts College, Tiruvannamalai 606603, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanasundari
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate and Research Department of Physics, Government Arts College, Tiruvannamalai 606603, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suganya
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology, Paiyanoor, Chennai 603 104, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Raghu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, SSN College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, Chennai 603110, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajalakshmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Global Institute of Engineering & Technology, Vellore 632509, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chandrasekaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Mailam Engineering College, Mailam 604304, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sivakumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Mahabarathi Engineering College, Chinasalem 606201, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chandramohan
authors.affiliation: Radiological Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vijayagopal
authors.affiliation: Radiological Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Venkatraman
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000145:classification; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011868:Radioisotopes; D013910:Thorium; D011883:Radium
keywords: Building materials; Gamma-ray spectrometry; Natural radioactivity; Radiological hazard; Statistical approach