Measurement of radium content and radon exhalation rates in Egyptian construction material samples using sealed-cup technique and LR-115 detectors

Effective radium content and radon exhalation rate in twenty construction material samples collected from the local market in Egypt were measured using the sealed–cup technique based on LR-115 nuclear track detectors. The values of effective radium content were found to vary from 1.93 to 360.21 Bqkg − 1 . Mass exhalation rate values were found to vary from 5.75x10 − 9 to 1073.43x10 − 9 Bqkg − 1 h − 1 . Area (surface) exhalation rate values were found to vary from 0.30x10 − 6 to 55.80x10 − 6 Bqm − 2 h − 1 . All the results obtained in the present work were found to be less than their corresponding world limits. Thus, the present results have revealed that, effective radium content and both area and mass exhalation rates in the studied samples do not pose risk to human health. The results were compared with national and some other countries.