Sains Malaysiana 55(6)(2026): 1056-1066

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2026-5506-10

 

Penilaian Mineral Semula Jadi sebagai Penghadang Sinaran Mesra Alam

(Evaluation of Natural Minerals as Environmentally Friendly Radiation Blockers)

 

NUR MIZA OSMAN, RAMZUN MAIZAN RAMLI* & NURUL ZAHIRAH NOOR AZMAN

 

 Pusat Pengajian Sains Fizik, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

 

Diserahkan: 27 Disember 2025/Diterima: 3 Jun 2026

 

Abstrak

Isu alam sekitar dan kesihatan yang dikaitkan dengan bahan pelindung sinaran konvensional, terutamanya ketoksikan dan cabaran pelupusan bahan berasaskan plumbum telah mencetuskan minat yang semakin meningkat terhadap pembangunan bahan semula jadi sebagai alternatif mampan kepada penghadang berasaskan simen. Serbuk kulit kerang (SKK), serbuk kulit tiram (SKT), tanah liat bentonit dan tanah liat kaolin telah dinilai berbanding simen Portland konvensional menggunakan sinaran-X pada 60, 80, 100 dan 120 kVp. Blok sampel setebal 2 cm dicirikan melalui analisis FESEM-EDX dan dinilai berdasarkan nisbah pelemahan sinaran (RAR), pekali pelemahan linear (µ), pekali pelemahan jisim (µ/ρ) dan lapisan nilai separuh (HVL). Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa simen memiliki kecekapan pelindung yang tertinggi pada semua aras tenaga, manakala SKK memperlihatkan prestasi yang setanding dengan perbezaan RAR hanya sebanyak 1.6-2.3% dan perbezaan HVL sebanyak 2.8% pada 120 kVp. Yang lebih menarik, SKK didapati mengatasi simen dari segi µ/ρ sebanyak 3.7% pada 120 kVp. Analisis ANOVA dua-hala mengesahkan bahawa jenis bahan dan aras tenaga memberikan kesan yang signifikan secara statistik (p < 0.001). Keputusan ini menunjukkan bahawa sisa biogen seperti kulit kerang berpotensi tinggi untuk digunakan sebagai bahan pelindung sinaran yang mampan dan kos efektif tanpa menjejaskan prestasi pelindungan secara ketara.

Kata kunci: Pelindungan sinar-X; serbuk kulit tiram (SKT); serbuk kulit kerang (SKK); simen

 

Abstract

Environmental and health concerns associated with conventional radiation shielding materials, particularly the toxicity and disposal challenges of lead-based materials, have sparked growing interest in the development of natural materials as sustainable alternatives to cement-based shielding. Cockle shell powder (CSP), oyster shell powder (OSP), bentonite clay, and kaolin clay were evaluated against conventional Portland cement using X-rays at 60, 80, 100, and 120 kVp. Sample blocks of 2 cm thickness were characterized through FESEM-EDX analysis and assessed based on the Radiation Attenuation Ratio (RAR), linear attenuation coefficient (µ), mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ), and half-value layer (HVL). The results indicate that cement possesses the highest shielding efficiency at all energy levels, while CSP demonstrated comparable performance with a RAR difference of only 1.6-2.3% and an HVL difference of 2.8% at 120 kVp. More notably, CSP was found to surpass cement in terms of µ/ρ by 3.7% at 120 kVp. Two-way ANOVA analysis confirmed that both material type and energy level produced statistically significant effects (p < 0.001). These findings indicate that biogenic waste, such as cockle shells holds great potential for use as a sustainable and cost-effective radiation shielding material without significantly compromising shielding performance.

Keywords: Cockle shell powder (CSP); oyster shell powder (OSP); Portland cement; x-ray shielding

 

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: ramzun@usm.my