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Article Open Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/oajrcms.2024.12.001

Natural Radioactivity Levels and Associated Radiological Hazard in Cement Raw Material Samples Extracted from Eastern and Southwestern Uganda

Winston Tumps Ireeta1,*, Dennis Muyimbwa1, Benjamin Jingo1,2

1Department of Physics, School of Physical Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala 7062, Uganda.

2Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Gulu University, Gulu 166, Uganda.

*Corresponding author:Winston Tumps Ireeta

Published: October 22,2024

Abstract

This study was to determine the natural radioactivity levels of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in cement raw material (limestone, sand, kaolin clay, magnesium oxide, and pozzolana) samples extracted from Eastern and Southwestern Uganda. The specific activity concentration of each of these radionuclides in each sample was determined using a Sodium Iodide scintillation detector to assess the radiological hazard associated with them. The average specific activity concentration values of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the samples from Southwestern Uganda were 94.9 Bqkg−1, 97.1 Bqkg−1, and 484.8 Bqkg−1 respectively while in samples from Eastern were respectively 30.2 Bqkg−1, 58.7 Bqkg−1 and 557.5 Bqkg−1. The average outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate value for samples from Southwestern Uganda was two times higher than the world average value of 59 nGyh−1. The average radium equivalent activity values, the average external and internal hazard index values, and the average outdoor annual effective dose values obtained for samples from either region were within the safe recommended limits. Hence, the samples posed no significant radiological hazard to both miners and the public.

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How to cite this paper

Natural Radioactivity Levels and Associated Radiological Hazard in Cement Raw Material Samples Extracted from Eastern and Southwestern Uganda

How to cite this paper: Winston Tumps Ireeta, Dennis Muyimbwa, Benjamin Jingo. (2024) Natural Radioactivity Levels and Associated Radiological Hazard in Cement Raw Material Samples Extracted from Eastern and Southwestern UgandaOAJRC Material Science6(2), 39-47.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/oajrcms.2024.12.001