Measurement of indoor radon concentration and assessment of doses in different districts of Northern Rajasthan, India. Issue 8 (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Duggal, Vikas; Rani, Asha; Mehra, Rohit
• Is Part Of: Indoor + built environment. Volume 23:Issue 8(2014)
• Page Start: 1142
• Page End: 1150
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Annual effective dose -- Building characteristics -- Cancer -- Dwellings -- Indoor radon -- LR-115-type II plastic track detectors; Indoor air pollution -- Periodicals; Sick building syndrome -- Periodicals; Buildings -- Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 613.5
• DOI: 10.1177/1420326X13500801
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1420-326X

Abstract

Radon ( 222 Rn), the immediate decay product of radium, is a causative agent of lung cancer. The seasonal indoor radon concentration in houses with different floorings, walls and roofs has been measured in Northern Rajasthan, India. The measurements were made in 100 houses using LR-115-type II plastic track detectors over four successive three-month periods (winter, spring, summer and autumn). The mean values of indoor radon concentrations in winter, spring, summer and autumn were determined to be: 176 Bq m −3, 131 Bq m −3, 120 Bq m −3 and 151 Bq m −3, respectively. The annual average indoor radon concentrations in the dwellings were found to vary from 117 to 215 Bq m −3 with an average of 144 Bq m −3 . In ∼10% of the dwellings the indoor radon activity concentration values lies in the range of action level (200–300 Bq m −3 ) recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection. The annual effective dose received by the residents of the study area varied from 2.0 to 3.67 mSv with an average of 2.46 mSv. The seasonal variation in indoor radon reveals the maximum value in winter and minimum in summer. The influences of the factors linked to building characteristics in relation to radon measurements were examined.