Assessment of radon radiological hazards in some ophiolite rocks, North Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

The natural stones are commonly used as interior and exterior building material. The accessory minerals of some rocks can generate a high amount of radon in the atmosphere. Ophiolitic rocks including serpentinites, metagabbros, gabbros metabasalts, metabasaltic-andesites, meta-andesites, Dokhan andesites, dacites, rhyolites, quartz diorites, tonalites, granodiorites, monzogranites and syenogranites. From the Eastern Desert of Egypt were analyzed for radon. The annual effective dose values of all studied rocks are higher than the world average due to the high radon content in the samples. The studied rocks are not recommended to be used as construction material.