Radiation dose calculation in the human body for building materials and soil exposure pathways

Abstract

In the present work, external annual radiation doses in human body due to presence of 226Ra, 232Th, 238U and 40K in conventional building materials and by-products from coal power plants which are being used or have the potential for use in buildings and soil in India were calculated in the human body by using GENII radiation dose calculation computer programme (Napier et al., 1988). In the calculations, human beings receive the most radiation dose from building materials from 1.0 × 10-6 Sv from 40K and the least from 2.3 × 10 -11 Sv from 232Th. It has been calculated that human beings receive total 6.3 × 10± 2 10-7Sv radiation dose exposure from soil. Data obtained are acceptable in comparison with radiation doses attributable to building materials in OECD countries. © EDP Sciences 2001.