Comparative study of the natural radioactivity of some selected rocks from Egypt and Germany

Abstract

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The radioactivity contents of various radionuclides in rocks play an important role in health physics and geo-scientific research. The naturally occurring radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K are the main sources of radiation in soil and rocks from which traditional building materials are derived. These radionuclides pose exposure risks externally due to their gamma-ray emissions and internally due to radon and its progenies, which emit alpha particles. The activity concentration (<i style="">B</i>q/kg) in igneous and metamorphic rock samples from different locations in Egypt and Germany has been analysed. The concentration values of samples for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were found in the range of 3.9 : 57.4, 3.2 : 53.4 and 202 : 1211 in Egypt and 5.1 : 76, 3.4 : 70 and 10 : 2070, respectively in Germany. Even though these radionuclides are widely distributed, their concentrations depend on the local geological conditions.

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