Assessment of Radioactivity in Textile Sludge Incorporated Bricks

Abstract

Textile sludge generated from the textile industry is potentially reused in manufacturing bricks. Radiological hazard to the environment while using any kind of new material in the construction industry needs to be predicted to ensure its safety for domestic use. This paper reports the effect of radiation from textile sludge-incorporated bricks. Primordial radionuclides such as Uranium- 238 (²³⁸U), Thorium- 232 (²³²Th), and Potassium- 40 (⁴⁰K)., are present in raw materials used in the manufacturing of various building materials. In the present investigation, textile sludge-incorporated bricks were studied. It was observed that the content of 238U was less than 20.6 Bq/kg (Becquerel per kg), ²³²Th was less than 38.3 Bq/kg, and 40K less than 168 Bq/kg compared to the permissible limit of 32 Bq/kg, 45 Bq/kg and 420 Bq/kg respectively, as prescribed by UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation). The activity concentration of primordial radionuclides ranged between 48 Ba/kg to 88 Ba/kg, which was also well below the permissible limit of 370 Bq/kg. Parameters like internal and external hazards index, radium equivalent activity (Raeq), annual effective dose rates, and absorbed dose rates were investigated. The results of all these parameters obtained for sludge-incorporated bricks were found to be less than unity, the permissible limit declared by the UNSCEAR. The study concludes that the sludgeincorporated bricks do not pose any radiation hazard and are suitable for use as construction material.