A preliminary survey of natural radionuclides in soil and indoor radon in the town of Niš, Serbia

Abstract The exploration of uranium ore started in Portugal at the beginning of the century, firstly for the extraction of radium and later for uranium. Radium processing wastes, uranium tailings, and their possible use in buildings contribute significantly to the enhancement of radon levels. A screening survey of indoor radon concentrations is initiated in houses from the granitic region of Beira Alta, in particular in the surroundings of an abandoned radium salts factory, near the mine and chemical treatment installations of Urgeirica, and the town of Guarda. Passive detectors are exposed for periods of one to two months. The preliminary results of this survey programme are presented and discussed. Indoor levels up to the order of 3 x 103 Bq.m-3 have been detected at Urgeirica as well as near the old radium salts factory at Barracao. These concentrations are compared with results for houses from the town of Guarda and also for some houses from the region of Lisbon.

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Indoor radon concentrations in the town of Niksic, Montenegro

Radiation Protection Dosimetry ◽

10.1093/rpd/ncm225 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 124 (4) ◽

pp. 385-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

N. Antovic ◽

P. Vukotic ◽

R. Zekic ◽

R. Ilic

Keyword(s):

Indoor Radon ◽

The Town ◽

Radon Concentrations

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NATURAL RADIATION EXPOSURE TO THE PUBLIC IN MINING AND ORE BEARING REGIONS OF CAMEROON

Radiation Protection Dosimetry ◽

10.1093/rpd/ncz176 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 184 (3-4) ◽

pp. 391-396 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Saïdou ◽

Shinji Tokonami ◽

Masahiro Hosoda ◽

Ndjana Nkoulou II Joseph Emmanuel ◽

Naofumi Akata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radiation Exposure ◽

Indoor Radon ◽

Natural Radionuclides ◽

Survey Method ◽

Natural Radiation ◽

Joint Research ◽

The Public ◽

Activity Concentrations ◽

Joint Research Project ◽

Thoron Progeny

Abstract Within the framework of a joint research project on natural radiation exposure and its health effects in Cameroon from 2014 to 2017, the Institute of Geological and Mining Research and the Hirosaki University worked together to carry out natural radiation survey in mining and ore bearing regions of Cameroon. Air kerma rates were measured using car-borne survey method. In-situ gamma spectrometry was used to determine activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in soil. A total of 450 RADUET detectors and 350 thoron progeny monitors were deployed in dwellings of the study areas for 2–3 months, collected and analysed. Although natural radioactivity level seems to be normal in most of the surveyed areas, there are many points where activity concentrations of natural radionuclides are largely above the world average values. Indoor radon, thoron and thoron progeny results show the importance to put in place the national radon plan in Cameroon. It was also pointed out that thoron cannot be neglected when assessing inhalation dose.

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Preliminary Survey of Indoor Radon Concentrations in Portuguese Houses from High Natural Radioactivity Regions

Radiation Protection Dosimetry ◽

10.1093/rpd/24.1-4.353 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 24 (1-4) ◽

pp. 353-355

Author(s):

M.C. Faisca ◽

A.O. de Bettencourt

Keyword(s):

Natural Radioactivity ◽

Indoor Radon ◽

Preliminary Survey ◽

Radon Concentrations

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Amorium 1987: A Preliminary Survey

Anatolian Studies ◽

10.2307/3642849 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 175-184 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

R. M. Harrison

Keyword(s):

First Century ◽

Preliminary Survey ◽

North East ◽

The North ◽

South West ◽

Ancient Site ◽

The Town

Amorium is in eastern Phrygia, 170 km. south-west of Ankara, 70 km. north-east of Afyon, 12 km. east of the town of Emirdaǧ, and near the source of the Sakarya (Sangarius) (Fig. 1). It lies on the north-facing lower slopes of the mountains of Emirdaǧ (the Turkish town, previously called Aziziye, has the same name), and the ancient site of Amorium lies within the relatively recent village of Hisarköy. The mountain of Emirdaǧ gives rise to various streams which flow into a tributary of the Sakarya, and at Amorium the view to the north extends over some 50 km., showing, in the middle distance, the tree-lined course of the river, and the mountains of Sivrihisar beyond. The ancient town (which includes a large prehistoric hüyük) was mentioned by Strabo, and indeed the name of Amorium appeared earlier on coins, in the second or first century B.C. The site was rediscovered by W. J. Hamilton in 1836.

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A comparison of the dose from natural radionuclides and artificial radionuclides after the Fukushima nuclear accident

Journal of Radiation Research ◽

10.1093/jrr/rrv102 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 422-430 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Masahiro Hosoda ◽

Shinji Tokonami ◽

Yasutaka Omori ◽

Tetsuo Ishikawa ◽

Kazuki Iwaoka

Keyword(s):

Effective Dose ◽

Indoor Radon ◽

Natural Radionuclides ◽

Temporary Housing ◽

Radon Activity ◽

Artificial Radionuclides ◽

Activity Concentrations ◽

Fdnpp Accident ◽

Effective Doses ◽

Average Effective Dose

Abstract Due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, the evacuees from Namie Town still cannot reside in the town, and some continue to live in temporary housing units. In this study, the radon activity concentrations were measured at temporary housing facilities, apartments and detached houses in Fukushima Prefecture in order to estimate the annual internal exposure dose of residents. A passive radon–thoron monitor (using a CR-39) and a pulse-type ionization chamber were used to evaluate the radon activity concentration. The average radon activity concentrations at temporary housing units, including a medical clinic, apartments and detached houses, were 5, 7 and 9 Bq m −3 , respectively. Assuming the residents lived in these facilities for one year, the average annual effective doses due to indoor radon in each housing type were evaluated as 0.18, 0.22 and 0.29 mSv, respectively. The average effective doses to all residents in Fukushima Prefecture due to natural and artificial sources were estimated using the results of the indoor radon measurements and published data. The average effective dose due to natural sources for the evacuees from Namie Town was estimated to be 1.9 mSv. In comparison, for the first year after the FDNPP accident, the average effective dose for the evacuees due to artificial sources from the accident was 5.0 mSv. Although residents' internal and external exposures due to natural radionuclides cannot be avoided, it might be possible to lower external exposure due to the artificial radionuclides by changing some behaviors of residents.

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MEASUREMENT OF RADON ACTIVITY CONCENTRATION IN BUILDING MATERIALS USED IN BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA

Contemporary Materials ◽

10.7251/comen2001051a ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ema Sinanović ◽

Feriz Adrović ◽

Amira Kasumović ◽

Amela Kasić

Keyword(s):

Ionizing Radiation ◽

Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽

Building Materials ◽

Activity Concentration ◽

Indoor Radon ◽

Natural Radionuclides ◽

Mean Values ◽

Indoor Exposure ◽

Radon Activity ◽

Materials Used

Man is continuously exposed to ionizing radiation because of the presence of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in the environment. Various technological processes of processing and using of materials that contain natural radionuclides generate materials of enhanced natural radioactivity (TENORM). The largest contribution to irradiance with natural sources of ionizing radiation is the exposure of the population to indoor radon. This gas originates from the radioactive decay of 226Ra and 224Ra that are present in the soil under houses and building materials. Depending on the type of building materials, indoor exposure to radon at dwellings and workplaces can be over a thousand times greater than in outdoor space. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, no valid and comprehensive radiological studies on the building materials have been performed that would guarantee for their dosimetric safety use for installation in residential and industrial buildings, highways, as well as their application for other purposes. The quantification of the radon levels that comes from building materials is a necessary and very important part of the global protection of the population from ionizing radiation. This paper presents the first results of a study on the radon activity concentrations in building materials used in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Measurements were performedwith a professional Alpha GUARD system. The mean values of the activity concentration of the exhaled radon of investigated building materials varied from 10 Bqm-3 to 101 Bqm-3, radon exhalation rate values ranged from 77.0 mBqm-2h-1 to 777.7 mBqm-2h-1. Gamma dose rate was in the range 57–112 nSv h−1.

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