A Preliminary Indoor Gamma-ray Measurements in Some of the Buildings at Karadeniz Technical University (Trabzon, Turkey) Campus Area

Abstract

Indoor gamma radiation dose rate and natural radionuclide concentrations (238U, 232Th, and 40K) were measured inside former Geoscience Faculty Buildings of Karadeniz Technical University in Trabzon using a 512- channel portable gamma-ray spectrometer with a sodium iodide during the six-month period. Spectrometry data were collected on all floors for each building. The average radionuclide concentrations of 238U, 232Th, 40K and dose rate in the buildings were found to be about 4.07 ppm, 11.58 ppm, % 1.98 and 79.03 nGy/h for Dean Building, 4.81 ppm, 13.38 ppm, % 2.52 and 94.2 nGy/h for Geophysical Engineering Building, 4.03 ppm, 13.14 ppm, %2.59 and 89.99 nGy/h for Geology Engineering Building, 3.76 ppm, 14.15 ppm, %2.68 and 92.34 nGy/h for Geomatics Engineering Building, respectively. In addition to this, the radiation hazard parameters (absorbed dose in the air, radium equivalent activity, internal hazard index and annual effective dose equivalent) for indoor environment were calculated and then jointly interpreted in order to find out the whether a radiological hazard exists in these buildings. As a result from this study, there is no significant radiologic hazard for human in studied buildings.