Potential applicability of metamorphic stones as radiation shields compared to concrete: Assessing mineralogy, morphology, antifungal performance, strength, and shielding effectiveness

Natural stones have been explored as alternatives to concrete in radiation shielding. Serpentinites are among the most promising metamorphic stones for this application. In this study, we evaluated the radiation shielding, considering the antifungal activity, strength, and other features of three serpentinite stones, composed of antigorite (AS), lizardite (LS), and chrysotile (CS), separately. Antifungal activity was evaluated against fungal strains of Aspergillus , Candida , Curvularia , and Penicillium. The mechanical strength was assessed using uniaxial compressive strength, UCS, and point load index, PLI. The γ-ray linear attenuation coefficient obtained from XCOM calculations was validated using MCNP-5, and additional shielding parameters (HVL, MFP, TF, RPC, and ET Pb ) were determined. Furthermore, neutron attenuation was also investigated using NGCal (thermal) and NXcom (fast). The findings showed that AS exhibited the highest UCS, PLI, and γ-ray as well as fast neutron attenuation, followed by LS and CS. In contrast, CS demonstrated the strongest antifungal activity and the highest thermal neutron attenuation. Compared with previous studies, serpentinite stones represent a sustainable, low-embodied carbon option for radiation shielding, offering a viable alternative not only to concrete but also to other conventional materials.