Caracterización de radionucleidos presentes en materiales de construcción de minas y canteras de la provincia de Chimborazo y estimación de los niveles de riesgo asociados para la población.

Abstract

The investigation had as objective to determine the radionuclides present in building materials of mines and quarries of the Chimborazo province and to estimate the risk levels associated to the population. The measurements were carried out in samples of clay, sand macadam, river sand, sulfur, limestone, feldspar and pozzolana, using a gamma spectrometer GCD40180X which consist of a detector of germanium hyper pure (HPGe). It collected a composite simple of each building material, it was obtained a total of 38 samples that were exposed to a pre-treatment based on crushing, sieving and drying; dry samples were deposited in polyethylene bottles and proceed with the analysis in the spectrometer; the analysis performed with the spectrometer showed two reports, the first shows the main radionuclides and the second shows the corresponding energies of all radionuclides present. In all the buiding materials have been found three main radionuclides K40, Ra226 y Th232 and their decendents. The specific activity and risk indexes are considered whit the information obtaind from the radionuclides mentioned. The measurements carried out determined that the average concentration of K40 in the province of Chimboeazo excedes in the 13.90% to the global mean concentration,while the concentrations of Ra226 and Th232 are maintained below the same. The risk level associated with the population in the Chimborazo province determined that the dose rate excedes the limit allowed in a 7.60% due to gamma emitters, while the radio equivalent, exteral and internal risk index and the rate of anual effective dose are kept below the limits allowed. It recommends to the Physics and Mathematics School to continue with this type of studies.