Assessment of the natural radioactivity using two techniques for the measurement of radionuclide concentration in building materials used in Japan

The specific activities of (238)U, (232)Th, and (40)K in selected building materials used in Japan were measured using a high-purity germanium detector. The uranium and thorium concentrations were determined from same samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. There was a good agreement between the measurement of uranium and thorium with both methods (R(2) = 0.94, and 0.97, respectively). Based on the specific activities, we have estimated some hazard indexes such as radium equivalent activities (Ra(eq)), external hazard index (H(ex)), internal hazard index (H(in)), annual gonadal equivalent dose (AGED), internal alpha dose, mass exhalation rate and emanation coefficient of radon.