Indoor air quality in buildings: Assessment of exposure to enhanced natural radioactivity

¹ Laboratory of Materials, Signals, Systems and Physical Modeling, Faculty of Science, Ibn Zohr University, Cité Dakhla, B.P. 8106, Agadir 80000, Morocco
² Interdisciplinary applied research laboratory-LIDRA, international university of Agadir-universiapolis, Agadir, Morocco, ID :60268804
³ National School of Applied Sciences, Mohammed Premier University, BP 669, 60000, Oujda, Morocco

^* Corresponding author: laila.taoufiq@e-polytechnique.ma

Abstract

Our study aimed to assess air quality within buildings constructed with coal ash concrete, with a specific focus on radon measurement. Coal ash, a by-product of the TAQA Morocco thermal power plant. In this investigation, two concrete mixtures were prepared. It is possible that concrete produced from coal ash may contain elevated levels of radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that could prove detrimental to human health, given that coal ash contains considerable quantities of radioactive elements. To this regard, two nuclear techniques were employed for analysis: high-resolution gamma spectrometry and alpha dosimetry based on the use of LR115 on the two concrete mixes. The equivalent radium activity (Ra_eq), internal (H_in) and external (H_ex) risk indices, absorbed dose rate (Ḋ), annual effective dose (Ė) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were also calculated. The surface (E_S) and mass (E_M) radon exhalation rates were calculated for the analysed samples in order to assess the radiological risks resulting from the use of coal ash concrete.The results has revealed no evidence of any health risks to the general public, and therefore coal ash concrete can be used in construction projects.