Natural radioactivity of Indian building materials and by-products.

Conventional building materials and by-products from coal power plants which are being used or have the potential for use in buildings in India were analysed for natural radioactivity due to the presence of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The materials examined in this work showed the radioactivity levels below the limit estimated from radium equivalent activity the criterion formula for gamma-activity suggested for acceptable radiation doses attributable to building materials in OECD countries.