scholarly journals Radon and thoron exhalation rate, emanation factor and radioactivity risks of building materials of the Iberian Peninsula

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e10331
Author(s):  
Samuel Frutos-Puerto ◽  
Eduardo Pinilla-Gil ◽  
Eva Andrade ◽  
Mário Reis ◽  
María José Madruga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Closed Chamber ◽  
Decay Products ◽  
Exposure Limit ◽  
European Regulations ◽  
Pressure Driven Flow

Radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) are radioactive gases emanating from geological materials. Inhalation of these gases is closely related to an increase in the probability of lung cancer if the levels are high. The majority of studies focus on radon, and the thoron is normally ignored because of its short half-life (55.6 s). However, thoron decay products can also cause a significant increase in dose. In buildings with high radon levels, the main mechanism for entry of radon is pressure-driven flow of soil gas through cracks in the floor. Both radon and thoron can also be released from building materials to the indoor atmosphere. In this work, we study the radon and thoron exhalation and emanation properties of an extended variety of common building materials manufactured in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) but exported and used in all countries of the world. Radon and thoron emission from samples collected in the closed chamber was measured by an active method that uses a continuous radon/thoron monitor. The correlations between exhalation rates of these gases and their parent nuclide exhalation (radium/thorium) concentrations were examined. Finally, indoor radon and thoron and the annual effective dose were calculated from radon/thoron concentrations in the closed chamber. Zircon is the material with the highest concentration values of 226Ra and 232Th and the exhalation and emanation rates. Also in the case of zircon and some granites, the annual effective dose was higher than the annual exposure limit for the general public of 1 mSv y−1, recommended by the European regulations.

scholarly journals Determination of radon levels in dwellings and social objects and evaluation annual effective dose from inhalation of radon in Stepnogorsk area Northern Kazakhstan

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-349
Author(s):  
D.S. Ibrayeva ◽  
M.N. Aumalikova ◽  
K.B. Ilbekova ◽  
M.M. Bakhtin ◽  
P.K. Kazymbet
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Noble Gas ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Radioactive Decay ◽  
Annual Dose ◽  
Natural Radiation ◽  
Mining Sites ◽  
Decay Products ◽  
Activity Concentrations

Radon is a noble gas that is one of the natural radioactive decay products of radium resulting from the disintegration of uranium. Humans are exposed to sources of natural radiation activity, being radon and its progeny breathing air responsible for more than 50% of the annual dose received from natural radiation. The aim of this study was to determine the radon concentration in the air in settlements’ dwellings and social objects and calculate the annual effective dose of population from radon on the territory mining activities in Stepnogorsk area. The study has shown that activity concentrations of indoor radon in the buildings ranged from 8 to 870 Bq · m−3 in Aqsu, 3-540 Bq · m−3 in Kvartsitka located close to former gold mining sites. The Einh corresponding to the activity concentrations ranged from 1-27 mSv · y−1 received by the settlements’ public. The highest value of Einh in Aqsu School reaches up to 68 mSv · y−1 received by the critical group of public was found at the territory of former mining the Stepnogorsk area. The results of this study show significant radiation hazards in Aqsu School which located at the territory of former mining site, and there is evidence of radon health risk to the members of the public.

scholarly journals Measurements of Radon Concentrations and Dose Assessments in Physics Department-Science College-Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 83-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iman Tarik Al-Alawy ◽  
Haider Rayed Fadhil
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Alpha Particles ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Nuclear Track Detector ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Radon Gas ◽  
Physics Department

Measurements of radon gas concentrations with their progeny and the annual effective dose indoor the building of Al-Mustansiriyah University College of Science-Physics Department have been carried out by using time-integrated passive radon dosimeters solid state nuclear track detector CR-39 technique. The detectors with 1cm x1cm have been distributed over 70 places and suspended for sitting (1m) and standing (1.75m) positions in each location under study. The dosimetric measurements are made over a period of 90 days from 30 January 2014 to 30 April 2014. The calibration process has been done using radium-226 source with known activity radiation. It has found that the indoor radon gas concentrations varing from 37.488±6.123Bg/m3 to 58.670±7.660Bg/m3 with an average value 51.398±7.156Bg/m3 at 1m , and varing from 35.964±5.997Bg/m3 to 56.994±7.549Bg/m3 with an average value 47.057±6.847Bg/m3 at 1.75m which are within the worldwide limits 148Bg/m3 (EPA, 2003) and 200-300Bg/m3 (ICRP, 2009). The annual effective dose of the inhalation exposure to radon gas has been estimated and this vary from 0.394mSv/y to 0.617mSv/y with an average value 0.540mSv/y at 1m, and varing from 0.378mSv/y to 0.599mSv/y with an average value 0.495mSv/y at 1.75m which are within the worldwide permissible limist 3-10mSv/y (ICRP, 1993). The potential alpha energy concentration found to vary from 4.053mWL to 6.343mWL with an average value 5.557mWL at 1m and vary from 3.888mWL to 6.162mWL with an average value 5.087mWL at 1.75m which are less than the recommended value 53.33mWL (UNSCEAR, 1993). The lung cancer cases per million person per year vary from 7.093 to 11.101 per million person per year with an average value 9.725 per million person per year at 1m and vary from 6.805 to 10.784 per million person per year with an average value 8.904 per million person per year which are less than the recommended range 170-230 per million person per year (ICRP, 1993). The number of decays per-minute using swabs measurements technique have been used for selected units within two swabs from building materials walls for each unite, with area of 100cm2 using Ludlum 3030, the average of three swabs measurements have been calculated. Hence, the effectiveness of emitted alpha particles from the walls has been calculated to be varied from 0.00000 to 0.02222Bq/cm2 with an average value 0.01169Bq/cm2 at 1m and 0.01015Bq/cm2 at 1.75m respectevily which are within the permissible limit 0.04Bq/cm2 (Danial, 2010).

NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY OF THE CRYSTALLINE BASEMENT ROCKS OF THE PELORITANI MOUNTAINS (NORTH-EASTERN SICILY, ITALY): MEASUREMENTS AND RADIOLOGICAL HAZARD

2020 ◽  
Vol 191 (4) ◽  
pp. 452-464
Author(s):  
D Romano ◽  
F Caridi ◽  
M Di Bella ◽  
F Italiano ◽  
S Magazù ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Radiation ◽  
Effective Dose ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Crystalline Rocks ◽  
Crystalline Basement ◽  
Radon Emanation ◽  
Potential Hazard

Abstract Crystalline rocks can produce dangerous radiation levels on the basis of their content in radioisotopes. Here, we report radiological data from 10 metamorphic and igneous rock samples collected from the crystalline basement of the Peloritani Mountains (southern Italy). In order to evaluate the radiological properties of these rocks, the gamma radiation and the radon emanation have been measured. Moreover, since some of these rocks are employed as building materials, we assess the potential hazard for population connected to their use. Gamma spectroscopy was used to measure the 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentration, whereas the radon emanation was investigated by using a RAD 7 detector. The results show 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentration values ranging from (17 ± 4) to (56 ± 8) Bq kg−1, (14 ± 3) to (77 ± 14) Bq kg−1 and (167 ± 84) to (1760 ± 242) Bq kg−1, respectively. Values of the annual effective dose equivalent outdoor range from 0.035 to 0.152 mSv y−1, whereas the gamma index is in the range of 0.22–0.98. The 222Rn emanation coefficient and the 222Rn surface exhalation rate vary from (0.63 ± 0.3) to (8.27 ± 1.6)% and from (0.12 ± 0.03) to (2.75 ± 0.17) Bq m−2 h−1, respectively. The indoor radon derived from the building use of these rocks induces an approximate contribution to the annual effective dose ranging from 8 to 176 μSv y−1. All the obtained results suggest that the crystalline rocks from the Peloritani Mountains are not harmful for the residential population, even though they induce annual effective doses due to terrestrial gamma radiation above the worldwide average values. Moreover, their use as building materials does not produce significant health hazards connected to the indoor radon exposure.

scholarly journals Assessment of dose due to exposure to indoor radon and thoron progeny

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-204
Author(s):  
Ganesh Prasad ◽  
Gurupad Gusain ◽  
Veena Joshi ◽  
Rakesh Ramola
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Track Detector ◽  
Underground Mines ◽  
Radiation Hazard ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Decay Products ◽  
Total Radiation Dose ◽  
Thoron Progeny

The components of the effective dose through inhalation from radon and its progeny are important for human health since they contribute to more than 50% of the total radiation dose from natural sources. As a consequence, radon has been identified as the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon and its short lived decay products (218Po, 214Pb, 214Bi, 214Po) present in dwellings are a radiation hazard, particularly if such sources are concentrated in the enclosed areas like poorly ventilated houses and underground mines. The indoor radon, thoron, and progeny concentrations were measured in a small hilly town of Budhakedar and the surrounding area of Tehri Garhwal, India, by using LR-115 Type II plastic track detector in a twin cup radon dosimeter. The concentrations of radon progeny were measured as the highest in winter and the lowest in summer while the thoron progeny concentration was found maximum in rainy season and minimum in autumn. The annual exposure to the potential alpha energy of radon and thoron were found to vary from 0.04 WLM to 0.69 WLM with an average value of 0.29 WLM, and 0.03 WLM to 0.37 WLM with an aver- age value of 0.16 WLM, respectively. The annual effective dose due to the exposure to indoor radon and progeny in Budhakedar homes was found to vary from 0.16 mSv to 2.72 mSv with an average value of 1.14 mSv and the effective dose due to the exposure to thoron and progeny was found to vary from 0.18 mSv to 2.49 mSv with an average value of 1.05 mSv. The results of systematic study have been obtained by considering the room as a space in which the radon and thoron levels are directly related to the dynamic and static parameters.

scholarly journals Modelling radiation exposure in homes from siporex blocks by using exhalation rates of radon

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-305
Author(s):  
Mladen Nikolic ◽  
David Simovic ◽  
Milija Zecevic ◽  
Violeta Cibulic
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Exposure ◽  
Effective Dose ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Crucial Importance ◽  
Radium Content ◽  
Living Space ◽  
Concrete Plates ◽  
Primary Index

Building materials are the second major source of indoor radon, after soil. The contribution of building materials to indoor radon amount depends upon the radium content and exhalation rates, which can be used as a primary index for radon levels in the dwellings. This paper presents the results of using the experimentally determined exhalation rates of siporex blocks and concrete plates, to assess the radiation exposure in dwellings built of siporex blocks. The annual doses in rooms have been estimated depending on the established modes of ventilation. Realistic scenario was created to predict an annual effective dose for an old person, a housewife, a student, and an employed tenant, who live in the same apartment, spending different periods of time in it. The results indicate the crucial importance of good ventilation of the living space.

scholarly journals Measurement of Indoor Radon Gas Concentration in same Region of Baghdad Governorate Using CR-39 Nuclear Track Detector

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 688-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baghdad Science Journal
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Track Detector ◽  
Nuclear Track Detector ◽  
Gas Concentration ◽  
Alpha Emitters ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Radon Gas

In this research the activity of radon gas in air in Baghad governorate,Iraq, using “alpha-emitters track registration (CR-39) track detector were measured. This measurement was done for selected areas from Baghdad Governorate, The results obtained shows that the highest average concentrations for Rn-222 is (179.077 Bq/m^3) which was recorded within Al-Shaaib city and less average concentrations was (15.79 Bq/m^3) in the nearby residential area of Baghdad International Airport and the overall average concentrations is (86.508 Bq/m^3) for these regions. Then the radon concentration was measured annual effective dose calculated from radon concentration and found in range from 0.4031 mSv/y to 4.5179 mSv /y with an average value of 2.1824 mSv/y. The annual effective dose of radon was within the allowed international limits.

The Alpha Particle Doses Received by Students and Staff in Twenty Schools in the North of Hebron Region - Palestine

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-316
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Alpha Particles ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
The North ◽  
Cr 39 Detectors ◽  
Average Effective Dose ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Abstract: The aim of the current study was to measure indoor radon concentration levels and its resulting doses received by the students and staff in schools of the directorate of education in the north of Hebron region- Palestine, during the summer months from June to September (2018), using CR-39 detectors. In this study, a total of 567 CR-39-based radon detectors were installed in the selected schools. The average radon concentrations were found to be 90.0, 66.5 and 58.0 Bqm-3 in Halhul, Beit Umar and Alarrub camp schools, respectively. Based on the measured indoor radon data, the overall average effective dose for the studied area was found to be 0.31 mSvy-1. Reported values for radon concentrations and corresponding doses are lower than ICRP recommended limits for workplaces. The results show no significant radiological risk for the pupils and staff in the schools under investigation. Consequently, the health hazards related to radiation are expected to be negligible. Keywords: Radon concentration, Alpha particles, Annual effective dose, Schools. PACs: 29.40.−n.

Indoor Radon and Thoron Concentration and the Associated Effective Dose Rate Determination in Dwellings of Suq Alshouk, Thiqar (Iraq)

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 06-10
Author(s):  
Hussam Najem Abood ◽  
Ahmed Abbas Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Dose Rate ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Effective Dose Rate

Indoor radon/thoron concentration has been determined in some dwellings of Suq Alshouk district in Thiqar Governorate southern of Iraq, using LR-115 type II and CR-39 (SSNTDs). In this work the indoor radon/thoron concentration varies from (8-73) Bq m-3 for radon with an average 35±2Bq m-3, and ranges (1- 47) Bq m-3 for thoron with an average16±2Bq m-3. The average annual effective dose due to radon and thoron varies from 0.43-3.38m Sv y-1 with average value 1.43±0.11 mSv y-1.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE EQUILIBRIUM FACTOR ON THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL EFFECTIVE DOSE FROM INHALED RADON DECAY PRODUCTS IN SELECTED WORKPLACES

2020 ◽  
Vol 191 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-191
Author(s):  
Petr P S Otahal ◽  
Ivo Burian ◽  
Eliska Fialova ◽  
Josef Vosahlik
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Radiological Protection ◽  
Equilibrium Factor ◽  
Decay Products ◽  
Water Treatment Plants ◽  
Radon Decay ◽  
Effective Doses ◽  
Dose Coefficients

Abstract Measurements of activity concentration of radon gas and radon decay products were carried out in several workplaces including schools, radium spas, swimming pools, water treatment plants, caves and former mines. Based on these measurements, annual effective doses to workers were estimated and values of the equilibrium factor, F, were calculated. This paper describes the different approaches used to estimate the annual effective dose based on the dose coefficients recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Using the measured F values as opposed to the default F value of 0.4 changed the doses by about 5–95% depending mainly upon the ventilation conditions of the workplace.

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