Assessment of the radiological impacts of a zircon sand processing plant Serena Righi a, * , Massimo Andretta b , Luigi Bruzzi a a Interdepartmental Centre for Research in Environmental Science, University of Bologna, via dell’Agricoltura 5, 48100 Ravenna, Italy b Montecatini Environmental Research Centre, Edison Group, viale Ciro Menotti 48, 48023 Marina di Ravenna, Italy Received 29 June 2004; received in revised form 4 January 2005; accepted 20 January 2005 Abstract The paper presents the results of a study on radiological impacts resulting from a zircon sand processing plant located in the North-Eastern part of Italy. Activity concentrations of radionuclides found in materials associated with this industrial process are presented as well as the results of the assessment of the annual effective doses to the workers and the members of the public. g-Spectrometric analyses were performed on ‘‘raw’’ sands, end-products, and soils sampled near the plant. Thermoluminescent dosimeters, electric pumps and electret ion chambers were used to measure the external irradiation, the indoor dust concentrations and the radon concentrations, respectively. The ground-level air concentration of radioactive particulate near the plant and the deposition of particulate matter were estimated by a Gaussian model (ISCLT3). Finally, the annual effective doses, calculated as provided for by Directive 96/29/Euratom, were estimated to be 1.7 mSv y ÿ1 for workers and 4.4 mSv y ÿ1 for members of the public. Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Zircon sand plant; Occupational and public exposure; Naturally occurring radioactive materials; Radiation dose; Gaussian model * Corresponding author. Tel.: C39 0544 937306; fax: C39 0544 937303. E-mail address: serena.righi2@unibo.it (S. Righi). 0265-931X/$ - see front matter Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2005.01.010 Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 82 (2005) 237e250 www.elsevier.com/locate/jenvrad