Table 2.

Radiological parameters and their characterization.

Radiological Indices and Doses	Labeling	Unit	Characteristic
Gamma activity concentration index	Iγ	-	estimation of the gamma radiation hazard associated with the radionuclides inside of the building materials, calculated from activity concentration measurements of the material
Alpha index	Iα	-	estimation of exposure due to the radon gas emanation from building materials, calculated from activity concentration measurements of the material
Activity utilization index	AUI	-	estimation of total dose rates in air from naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials, calculated from activity concentration measurements of the material
Radium equivalent activity	Raeq	Bq/kg	expression of the specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K by a single quantity, which takes into account the radiation hazards associated with radon and its progeny
Internal hazard index	Hin	-	index to control the hazard due to inhalation of alpha particles emitted from the short-lived radionuclides in buildings
External hazard index	Hex	-	obtained from Raeq expression through the supposition that its maximum value allowed (equal to unity) corresponds to the upper limit of Raeq (370 Bq/kg)
Indoor external dose	Din	$\mathrm{nGy}/\mathrm{h}$	the total absorbed gamma dose rate indoors at 1 m above the ground
Outdoor external dose	Dout	$\mathrm{nGy}/\mathrm{h}$	the total absorbed gamma dose rate outdoors at 1 m above the ground
Indoor effective dose	Ein	$\mathrm{mSv}/\mathrm{y}$	annual dose indoors considering the conversion factor for environmental exposure to gamma rays
Outdoor effective dose	Eout	$\mathrm{mSv}/\mathrm{y}$	annual dose outdoors considering the conversion factor for environmental exposure to gamma rays
Excess lifetime cancer risk	ELCR	-	estimation of the potential of cancer development over a lifetime, caused by irradiation from building materials
Effective dose rate to different body organs	Dorgan	$\mathrm{mSv}/\mathrm{y}$	the mean energy absorbed per unit mass averaged over the entire tissue or organ
Annual gonadal dose equivalent	AGDE	µSv/y	evaluation fo the potential effects of the specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K on certain important organs, such as reproductive organs (gonads), bone marrow, and bone cells