Cement samples obtained from Iraqi Kurdistan were analyzed to determine the activity concentrations and evaluate the associated radiological risks, with the aim of establishing effective exposure reduction measures. A sodium iodide thallium-activated scintillation detector was utilized for quantitative radioactivity analysis. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were found to be 65.6 ± 17.4, 81.8 ± 16.3, and 333.7 ± 79.8 Bq/kg, respectively. These measurements exceed the internationally recognized reference values of 35 Bq/kg for 226Ra and 30 Bq/kg for 232Th, while remaining below the 400 Bq/kg benchmark established for 40K by UNSCEAR. A comprehensive suite of radiological hazard parameters was determined from the measured activity data, encompassing radium equivalent activity, air absorbed dose rate, gamma activity index, internal hazard index, annual effective dose, and excess lifetime cancer risk. Each calculated metric was systematically compared against internationally prescribed safety standards and regulatory limits. Statistical evaluation was performed to examine the distribution characteristics of radionuclide concentrations and their corresponding hazard parameters, employing skewness and kurtosis assessments, Shapiro–Wilk normality testing, and Pearson correlation analysis to explore interdependences among variables. These results establish critical reference data for radiation protection planning and contribute to the development of evidence-based regulatory standards governing construction material safety within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
H. M. Qadr (Sun,) studied this question.
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