Effect of colour pigments on the thermoluminescence response of commercial cement under gamma radiation

This study explores the potential of five commercially available pigmented cements (green, yellow, blue, black, and maroon) as low-cost retrospective dosimeters by investigating their thermoluminescent (TL) response to gamma radiation (0–10 Gy). Notably, blue and yellow cements exhibited significantly higher TL intensities (38–82 %) compared to maroon, black, and green. A linear dose-response was observed up to 8 Gy (R² > 0.98), with blue cement demonstrating the highest sensitivity (256.04 nC/Gy). Linearity index (f(D)) values indicated near-linear behavior for low to moderate doses, with supralinearity observed at higher exposures. TL fading followed an exponential decay, with blue cement retaining ∼76 % of its signal after 30 days. Kinetic parameters, including activation energy (E), frequency factor (s), and lifetime (τ), were determined using the peak shape method, revealing variations in trap depths and recombination mechanisms across the different cements. EDX analysis of blue cement identified key elemental constituents (Ca, Si, Al, Fe) and trace metals that influence TL trapping mechanisms. These findings strongly suggest the viability of pigmented cements for retrospective dosimetry, warranting further research into trap kinetics and spectral emissions.