Evaluation of Radioactivity and Heavy Metals Content in a Basalt Aggregate for Concrete from Sicily, Southern Italy: A Case Study

In the present paper, an investigation on natural and anthropic radioactivity heavy metals content in a basalt aggregate for concrete from Sicily, Southern Italy, was performed as case study. particular, evaluation of specific activity radium-226, thorium-232, potassium-40 caesium-137 radionuclides by using High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) γ-ray spectrometry, together with estimation several indexes developed to evaluate radiological risk population related radiation exposure, i.e., alpha index (Iα), radium equivalent (Raeq), absorbed γ-dose rate (D) annual effective dose outdoor (AEDEout) indoor (AEDEin). Moreover, measurements average (arsenic, cadmium, copper, mercury, nickel, lead, antimony, thallium zinc) concentrations analyzed sample were Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Furthermore, aim investigate any possible chemical pollution, Enrichment Factor (EF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Contamination (CF) Pollution Load (PLI) assessed. Finally, identification source aforementioned radioisotopes origin carried out X-ray diffraction (XRD), thus identifying major mineralogical phases investigated concrete.