Study of Gamma Ray Shielding Characteristics and Exposure Buildup Factor for some Natural Rocks

Authors

  • Abdulkadir Adamu
    Sa’adu Zungur University Bauchi State
  • Aliyu Mohammad Aliyu
    Sa’adu Zungur University
  • Dauda Abubakar
    Sa’adu Zungur University
  • Abubakar Abba Aji
    Sa’adu Zungur University
  • Alameen Mustapha Muhammed
    Sa’adu Zungur University
  • Umar Haruna
    Sa’adu Zungur University

Keywords:

Gamma Radiation, Shielding Material, Natural Rocks, Phy-X/PSD, Exposure Buildup Factor

Abstract

This study assessed the gamma-ray shielding potential and exposure build up factor of Gypsum, kaolin, limestone and granite commonly used as a building material in Northeastern, Nigeria. The elemental composition of the rocks was obtained through Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) which examines the microstructural and localized area elemental analyses of the four rock samples.  Phy-X software was used to determine and evaluate the radiation shielding parameters at energy range of from 0.015 MeV to 15 MeV originating from 137Cs and 60Co sources. The MAC and LAC showed a decreasing pattern as photon energy increased. In the energy interval of 0.1–0.8 MeV, the MAC and LAC values of all studied materials converged, suggesting comparable attenuation characteristics. A significant drop at lower photon energies was also observed, primarily due to the strong inverse relationship between the photoelectric effect and photon energy. Among all materials, kaolin exhibited higher MAC and LAC values, which can be explained by its higher density and the presence of heavy elements like Ba, Ti, and Fe. The study's findings showed that the natural rocks examined had strong cap abilities to block gamma rays indicating their potential use in radiation protection.

Author Biography

Aliyu Mohammad Aliyu

Associate Professor in the Department of Physics 

Dimensions

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Published

2026-02-17

How to Cite

Adamu, A., Abubakar, D., Aji, A. A., Muhammed, A. M., & Haruna, U. (2026). Study of Gamma Ray Shielding Characteristics and Exposure Buildup Factor for some Natural Rocks. Nigerian Journal of Physics, 35(1), 180-189. https://doi.org/10.62292/njp.v35i1.2026.469

Issue

Vol. 35 No. 1 (2026): Nigerian Journal of Physics - Vol. 35 No. 1

Section

Review Articles
Copyright & Licensing

How to Cite

Adamu, A., Abubakar, D., Aji, A. A., Muhammed, A. M., & Haruna, U. (2026). Study of Gamma Ray Shielding Characteristics and Exposure Buildup Factor for some Natural Rocks. Nigerian Journal of Physics, 35(1), 180-189. https://doi.org/10.62292/njp.v35i1.2026.469

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