Natural radioactivity content in various building materials of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Natural radioactivity content in different types of building materials obtained from Chennai city has been determined. In this study, the most commonly used building materials such as clay bricks, cement, sediment, tiles, marbles, and granite have been considered for quantifying natural radioactivity content using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The annual effective dose (AED) values obtained in this study, varying from 0.04 mSv to 0.57 mSv, are deduced from the natural radioactivity content; these are lower than the European Commission Report 112 recommended level of 1 mSv. Therefore, the use of all the building materials in question, collected from in and around Chennai, in the construction of dwellings is considered to be radiologically safe for the inhabitants. (author)