Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-fvjsw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-14T19:27:24.488Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Natural radioactivity in Italian ceramic tiles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2009

J. Barescut,
S. Righi,
R. Guerra,
M. Jeyapandian,
S. Verità and
A. Albertazzi
S. Righi
Affiliation:
Interdepartmental Centre for Environmental Science Research, Bologna University, via S.Alberto 163, 48100 Ravenna, ItalyDepartment of Physics, Bologna University, Viale Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy
R. Guerra
Affiliation:
Interdepartmental Centre for Environmental Science Research, Bologna University, via S.Alberto 163, 48100 Ravenna, ItalyDepartment of Physics, Bologna University, Viale Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy
M. Jeyapandian
Affiliation:
Interdepartmental Centre for Environmental Science Research, Bologna University, via S.Alberto 163, 48100 Ravenna, ItalySolid State and Radiation Physics Lab., Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, 641 046 Coimbatore, India
S. Verità
Affiliation:
Interdepartmental Centre for Environmental Science Research, Bologna University, via S.Alberto 163, 48100 Ravenna, ItalyDepartment of Physics, Bologna University, Viale Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy
A. Albertazzi
Affiliation:
Italian Ceramic Centre, via Martelli 26, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Get access

Abstract

Zircon is the mostly widely occurring zirconium-containing mineral mined commercially. Thorium and uranium may substitute for zirconium in the zircon crystal lattice. The radioactivity levels in zircon lies typically within the ranges 500–1000 Bq kg-1 for 232Th and 1000–5000 Bq kg-1 for 238U [1]. One of the most important use of zircon is as opacifier for ceramic tiles. Body of ceramic tiles is a mixture of different raw materials, including: clays, quartz materials and feldspathic materials. The body may be glazed or left unglazed. Due to the presence of zircon in the glaze or in the body, ceramic tiles can show natural activity concentration significantly higher than the average values of Earth's crust. This study contains a summary of results obtained by a survey on Italian ceramic tiles collected over three years (2005–2007). About one hundred ceramic tiles were analysed. The survey consisted of measurement of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentrations and of the gamma-index [2] and radium-equivalent [3, 4] calculation. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K result in the order of 100, 50 and 500 Bq kg-1, respectively. Gamma index and radium equivalent activity have been found well below the acceptable limit in most of the samples.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

NRPB Working with Zircon Sands, NRPB Broadsheet Series (1993).
European Commission Radiation protection 112, Directorate-General Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection (1999).
OECD Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials (1979).
Beretka, J. and Mathew, P.J., Health Phys. 48, 87 (1985). CrossRef
UNSCEAR Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionizing Radiation (1993).
Materials Markets Consulting Markets for zircon, p. 41 (2002).
E.M. Krisiuk, S.I. Tarasov, V.P. Shamov, N.I. Shalak, E.P. Lisachenko and L.G. Gomelsky, A study on radioactivity in building materials, Leningrad Research Institute for Radiation Hygiene (Leningrad, 1971)
Stranden, E., Phys. Norv. 8, 167 (1976).
Krieger, R., Betonwerk Fertigteil Tech. 47, 468 (1981).
Swedjemark, G.A., Health Phys. 51, 569 (1986). CrossRef
Bruzzi, L., Mele, R. and Padoani, F., J. Radiological Protection 12, 67 (1992). CrossRef
Bruzzi, L., Baroni, M., Mazzotti, G., Mele, R. and Righi, S., J. Environ. Radioactiv. 47, 171 (2000). CrossRef
S. Righi, S. Verità, P.L. Rossi and L. Bruzzi, in Proceeding of the International Conference on Radioactivity in the Environment, Nice, 2005, edited by P. Strand, P. Borretzen, T. Jolle (NRPA, Østerås, 2005) pp. 91-94.
Amrani, D., Tahtat, M., Appl. Radiat. Isotopes 54, 687 (2001). CrossRef
Ahmed, N.K., J. Environ. Radioactiv. 83, 91 (2005). CrossRef
UNSCEAR Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation (2000)
Lee, S.C., Kim, C.K., Lee, D.M. and Kang, H.D., Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 94, 269 (2001). CrossRef
Kumar, A., Kumar, M., Singh, B. and Singh, S., Radiat. Meas. 36, 465 (2003). CrossRef
Xinwei, L., Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 112, 323 (2004). CrossRef
El Afifi, E.M., Hilal, M.A., Khalifa, S.M. and Aly, H.F., Radiat. Meas. 41, 627 (2006). CrossRef
KrstiÉć, D., NikeziÉć, D., StevanoviÉć, N. and VuciÉć, D., Radiat. Meas. 42, 1731 (2007). CrossRef
V. Serradell, J. Ortiz, L. Ballesteros and I. Zarza, in CD of the 5th International Symposium on NORM, Seville, 2007, edited by R. García-Tenorio, G. Manjón (Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, 2007).
Bruzzi, L., Cazzoli, S., Mele, R. and Tenaglia, A., Cer. Acta 3, 27 (1991).