An assessment of the external radiological impact in granites and pegmatite in central Eastern Desert in Egypt with elevated natural radioactivity.

The contents of natural radionuclides ((226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K) were measured in investigated samples (granite Gabal Ras Barud, Eastern Desert in Egypt) by using gamma spectrometry (NaI (Tl) 3″×3″). The activities of (226)Ra, (232)Th series and (40)K are between (3.8±0.5 and 172.8±1135.1±56.8 8.6), (2.3±0.3 and 103.8±5.2) and (53.1±2.7 and 1135.1±56.8) Bq kg(-1), respectively. With average total annual dose being only 67.2 μSv y(-1), this value is about 6.72 % of the 1.0 mSv y(-1) recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP-60, 1990) as the maximum annual dose to members of the public. Geochemical studies revealed that Gabal Ras Barud is formed from a highly fractionated biotite granite, with SiO(2) >75 % and generally enriched in alkali with K/Na >8 %.