Radiological assessment of an imported building material: A case study

Abstract

Unusually high indoor dose rate levels, ranging up to 0.3 mu Gy/h, in one business centre in Belgrade, were discovered by chance, leading to the opening of broader investigations. Ambient dose rate levels and average radon in air contents through the whole building, and radionuclide contents in construction materials were measured. Increased exposure levels were caused by the built-in red granite having Th-232 content above 300 Bq/kg. The psychological background of the final decision of the management staff to remove red granite and the necessity for an adequate public relations approach are also discussed. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.