NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY IN MAIN BUILDING AND RAW MATERIALS USED IN ALBANIA

This study has the aim to determine the radioactivity content in building materials in Albania in order to characterize their potential radiological hazard to humans. The natural activity concentrations of 226Ra (238U), 232Th and 40K are carried out using a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The average activity concentrations, measured by using HPGe gamma-ray spectrometry technique, of natural radionuclides of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th in cements are found to be 203±38 Bq/kg, 48±4 Bq/kg and 21±12 Bq/kg respectively. While, the average activity concentration of natural radionuclides of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th in clay bricks are found to be 646±65 Bq/kg, 36±8 Bq/kg and 36±13 Bq/kg respectively. The activity concentration indices are 0.11 for cements and 0.20 for clay bricks manufactured in Albania. These values are below the screening level of one, indicating that the annual effective dose criterion of less than of 1 mSv/y is fulfilled. Based on the ACI values, cements and clay bricks manufactured in Albania and Kosovo do not pose any significant risk to humans due to their use in dwellings. However, a more accurate evaluation must be performed on final building materials.