scholarly journals Indoor radon activity concentration and effective dose rates at schools and thermal spas of Ilgin

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-346
Author(s):  
Mehmet Erdogan ◽  
Murat Abaka ◽  
Kaan Manisa ◽  
Hasan Bircan ◽  
Coskun Kus ◽  
...  

Indoor radon activity concentrations and radon doses on the ground floor and basement floor of 19 schools (kindergardens, primary schools, secondary schools, and high schools) and thermal spas of Ilgin district in Konya, have been measured using the AlphaGUARD PQ 2000PRO radon detector, for three days in the first half of 2016. According to the results, while the indoor radon concentration for only one location, in total, is above the Turkish action level of 400 Bqm?3, the values for 10 locations are above the reference level of 100 Bqm?3, recommended by WHO. The calculated annual effective doses for inhalation of the radon in indoor air were also found to be 0.26 ?Sv for the minimum and 4.36 ?Sv for the maximum. The parametric distribution analysis is also performed with 3-parameter Weibull distribution and some remarks are provided on radon concentration activity.

Author(s):  
A. S. Silva ◽  
M. L. Dinis

In this study, an assessment of indoor radon concentration and gamma dose rates were carried out in 16 Portuguese thermal spas. Indoor gamma dose rates measurements were made using a Geiger counter (Gamma Scout – GS3) and radon concentration measurements were carried out using CR-39 detectors. The detectors were exposed for an extended period of time (in average 42 days). The results showed that gamma doses rates are generally low but, in several cases, radon concentration exceeded national as well as international standards, namely the reference level recommended by the Directive 2013/59/EURATOM (300 Bq/m3) and the threshold for protection (400 Bq/m3) from the Portuguese legislation. The annual effective doses deriving from external radiation (gamma dose rates) and indoor radon concentration showed the need to implement measures to optimize the radiation protection of the workers against ionizing radiation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 79-88
Author(s):  
Olukunle Olaonipekun Oladapo ◽  
Olatunde Micheal Oni ◽  
Emmanuel Abiodun Oni

Background and Purpose: Radon-222 is a major human health challenge among all sources of ionizing radiation. For most people, the greatest exposure to radon comes from homes and affects mainly the respiratory tract, especially the tracheobronchial region. This work assesses the annual tracheobronchial effective dose from indoor radon inhalation in residential buildings with different covering materials for walls, ceilings and floor using different dosimetric lung models. Method: A total of 180 residential buildings with commonest combination of covering materials in some cities in South-western Nigeria were investigated using an active electronic radon gas detector, RAD 7. The commonest combination of covering materials were (A): paint, paint, carpet; (B): paint fiber board, plastic tiles; (C): paint, fiber board, ceramic tiles for walls, ceilings and floors respectively. Result: The mean indoor radon concentration measured ranged between 23.08 Bq m-3 and 72.14 Bq m-3 for all the residential buildings investigated. Buildings with covering materials C, presented the highest radon concentration. Generally, the mean indoor radon concentration for all combinations of covering materials in all the cities investigated were found to be lower than the recommended action level of 200 Bqm-3 and the reference level of 100 Bqm-3 set by International Commission on for Radiation Protection and World Health Organization respectively. The annual tracheobronchial effective dose estimated for the different lung dose models ranged from 0.91 mSv – 3.27 mSv for combination (A), 1.00 mSv - 3.60 mSv for combination (B) and 1.09 mSv – 3.94 mSv for combination (C). It revealed that the more recent model gives greater value of the annual tracheobronchial effective dose. It was observed that only the annual tracheobronchial effective doses obtained by the James model presented values that are within the recommended ICRP intervention level of (3-10) mSvy-1. Other models gave values of annual tracheobronchial effective doses below the ICRP recommended intervention levels. Conclusion: These imply that all the residential buildings and the different combination of covering materials surveyed in this work will not pose any radiological hazard to the inhabitants. Key words: Indoor Radon Inhalation, Radon-222, annual tracheobronchial effective dose, residential buildings


2020 ◽  
Vol 191 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-137
Author(s):  
Z Curguz ◽  
G Venoso ◽  
Z S Zunic ◽  
D Mirjanic ◽  
M Ampollini ◽  
...  

Abstract The requirements about radon measurements in schools and public buildings included in most of the national and international legislations are generally restricted to all the rooms located at the ground floor and basement, assuming the soil beneath the building as the main source of indoor radon. In order to verify such an assumption for small buildings having at maximum two floors, a preliminary study was performed in 50 schools located in 15 municipalities of the Republic of Srpska. Results of this study suggest that a protocol requiring measurements at the ground floor only may be considered adequate. Due to the high radon spatial variability for rooms at the ground floor, it is preferable to require measurements in a high number of rooms (preferably in all of them) in order to assess the compliance with the reference level established by the legislation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-174
Author(s):  
Perko Vukotic ◽  
Ranko Zekic ◽  
Nevenka Antovic ◽  
Tomislav Andjelic

Change of radon concentrations in dwellings with floor level was studied in six multi-story buildings, in four towns of Montenegro with different climate conditions. The annual aver- age radon activity concentrations in 35 dwellings are found to be very low, mostly at a level of 20-30 Bqm?3. Absorbed gamma dose rates in these dwellings are in the range of 14-58 nGyh?1. The low radon concentrations are a consequence of a good tightness of the structures in contact with the ground and a small contribution of building materials to radon indoors. A clear general trend of changes in radon concentrations with floor level is not observed. In most of the dwellings on different floors in the multi-story building radon concentration varies very little, mostly within measurement error. A small decrease in radon concentration is noted between the two or three floors closest to the ground, but only in some of the buildings. Therefore, a decrease of indoor radon concentration with floor level cannot be considered as a general characteristic of multi-story buildings. Although the seasonal radon variations have not been in the focus of this study, it was found that the average radon activity concentrations in dwellings of the multi-story buildings are higher in warmer than in cooler half-year period, what is contrary to the general rule for homes in the world and in Montenegro as well.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (35) ◽  
pp. 14-23
Author(s):  
Yousif Muhsin Zayir Al-Bakhat

In the present study the radon concentration was measured in indoor places by the RAD7 (radon detector) was in some locations at Al-Tuwaitha nuclear site and some surrounding areas for the duration from 13/10/2016 to 2/1/2017 and the measurement of the indoor radon concentration ranged from (4.96±4.4 to 102±25) Bq/m3. The high value of radon has been found at decommissioning directorate /emergency room, which is lower than the action value recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which is (148 Bq/m3) while the lowest value has been founded in central laboratories directorate \ models room. These values were used to calculate the annual effective dose and the health risks for cells bronchial which caused by the inhalation of radon. The values of the annual effective doses were calculated and ranged from (0.1249 to 2.5704) mSv/y these results are lower than the value of (10 mSv/y) recommended by the International Commission Radiological on Protection (ICRP). The results from this study shows that the region has background radioactivity levels within the natural limits.


Nukleonika ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Shahrokhi ◽  
Erika Nagy ◽  
Anita Csordás ◽  
János Somlai ◽  
Tibor Kovács

Abstract Owing to the high potential of radon to increase the risk of lung cancer, health organizations are enforced to update their regulations and recommendations regarding indoor radon levels each year. In this study, the indoor radon concentrations of three randomly selected thermal baths in Hungary using CR-39 and an AlphaGUARD radon monitor were measured with regard to the new updated standards of the European Basic Safety Standard (EU BSS, Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, 2014). The annual average of indoor radon concentrations in Parad Medical Bath, Igal Health Spa and Eger Turkish Bath were measured as 159 ± 19, 176 ± 27 and 301 ± 30 Bq/m3, respectively. Indoor radon concentration in all measurement locations were determined to be below the reference level, with the exception of the main pool, small pool and sparkling bath areas in the Eger Turkish Bath that were measured as 403 ± 42, 315 ± 32 and 354 ± 36 Bq/m3, respectively. In light of the results, the estimated annual average radon concentration in the thermal baths was below the EU BSS reference level of 300 Bq/m3. Personal dosimetry is required to estimate the annual effective dose from inhaled radon by the workers at the Eger Turkish Bath. This procedure is required in order to justify the application of the mitigation process of decreasing working hours, improving the ventilation rate or increasing the number of classified employees in response to the official radiation surveillance programme.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Wahyudi Wahyudi ◽  
Dadong Iskandar ◽  
Rini Safitri ◽  
Kusdiana Kusdiana

Abstract. Determination of radon concentrations in dwelling in Aceh region by using a passive method has been conducted. In this research, area considered was divided into several sections called grid. Each grid represents an area of 60 km x 60 km in which, depend on public response, 6-10 passive radon monitors were installed. The number of passive radon monitors installed in Aceh is 200 units, and they can be taken back as many as 191 units or 95.50 %. The passive radon monitors have stayed in dwelling for 3-4 months and after period of the exposure, those radon monitors were taken back and brought to laboratory for further process, and then the track were read and the radon concentrations were calculated. Furthermore, data of radon concentration in dwelling and GPS location were put into MapInfo Software v.10.5 to create a map of radon concentration. The results of the analysis of the radon concentration in dwelling in Aceh demonstrate that the concentrations are in the range of 3.32 ± 0.23 Bq/m3 up to 68.30 ± 4.83 Bq/m3. This result was lower than the radon reference level determined by UNSCEAR, which was 300 Bq/m3. The data are useful in the regional extension and development plans, as well as the basis for health policy analysis due to the existence of radon in Indonesia. Furthermore, these data will become the contribution of Indonesia in the international world through UNSCEAR, IAEA and WHO. The data obtained can be used as partial data in creating a map of radon concentration in residents’ houses in Aceh, as a part of the map of radon concentration in Indonesia. Keywords: radon concentration, dwelling, Aceh, passive methodREFERENSI UNSCEAR, 1996, Natural Radiation Exposures, Forty Fifth Session, VienaIAEA, 2005, Radiation, People and the Environment, Viena.Bunawas, Emlinarti, M. Affandi, 1996, Penentuan laju lepasan radon dari bahan bangunan menggunakan metode pasip dengan metode jejak nuklir, Prosiding PPIKRL, PSPKR-BATAN, 20-21 Agustus 1996, pp. 16-21.Sutarman, L. Nirwani, Emlinarti dan A. Warsona, 2005, Penentuan konsentrasi gas radon dan thoron menggunakan detektor film LR-115 di DKI Jakarta dan sekitarnya, Prosiding PPI–PDIPTN P3TM-BATAN, Jogjakarta, p. 212-221.M. Affandi, D. Iskandar, dan Bunawas, 1996, Radon di Kompleks Perumahan BATAN, Presiding PIKRL, PSPKR-BATAN, p. 262-265Wahyudi, Kusdiana and D. Iskandar, 2016, Mapping of Indoor Radon Concentration in Houses Located in South Sulawesi Province, 2nd International Conference on the SERIR2 & 14th Biennial Conference of the SPERA, Bali, CTRSM-BATAN, p. 35-38.E. Pudjadi, Wahyudi, A. Warsona and Syarbaini, 2016, Measurement of Indoor Radon-Thoron Concentration in  Dwellings of Bali Island, Indonesia, 2nd International Conference on the SERIR2 & 14th Biennial Conference of the SPERA, Bali, CTRSM-BATAN, p. 186-192.M.H.Magalhães, et al., 2003. Radon-222 in Brazil: an outline of indoor and outdoor measurements. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 67(2), pp.131–143.F.S. Al-Saleh, 2007. Measurements of indoor gamma radiation and radon concentrations in dwellings of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 65(7), pp.843–848.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bossew

Indoor radon has been recognized as an important air pollutant. Based on epidemiological evidence, it is estimated that indoor radon is the second cause of lung cancer after smoking. As a consequence, one tries to limit exposure through regulations concerning the remediation of the existing and prevention of future exposure. In this context, an essential task is the delineation of areas in which it can be expected with certain confidence that time-averaged indoor radon concentrations in dwellings and workplaces exceed the reference level. These are called radon priority areas to denote that these are areas in which remedial and preventive action has to be implemented with priority. There are different definitions of radon priority areas and different methods to estimate them from data. In Germany, the current approach uses the geogenic radon potential as the predictor. However, legal reference levels pertain to indoor radon concentration, not to the geogenic radon potential. One therefore has to identify derived reference levels for geogenic radon potential through statistical association of both quantities. This paper presents a method to derive the local probability that indoor radon concentration exceeds a threshold, given the local geogenic radon potential. The relationship can be used to derive geogenic radon potential reference levels which in turn serve to define radon priority areas.


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