Alpha radioactive air pollutants in different types of dwellings using solid-state nuclear track detectors

Abstract

The alpha radioactive air pollutants like radon and its progeny are the major contributors in the radiation dose received by general population of the world. It has been estimated that the radon and its progeny constitute more than 50% of the dose equivalent received by general population from all sources of radiation, both naturally occurring and man-made. Radon (²²²Rn), a progeny of ²³⁸U, is a colourless, odourless noble gas, which is radioactive, and causes health hazards not only to uranium miners but also people living in normal houses and buildings. In the present work, measurements of alpha radioactive radon and its progeny concentration in different types of dwellings of some villages in Haryana have been carried out. In cemented dwellings, the equilibrium equivalent concentration (EEC) of radon varied from 64-80 Bq m^-3 with an average of 72 ± 3 Bq m^-3 and the annual effective dose varied from 2.7-3.4 mSv with an average of 3.1 ± 0.13 mSv. In brick dwellings, the equilibrium equivalent concentration (EEC) of radon varied from 81-106 Bq m^-3 with an average of 93 ± 4 Bq m^-3 and the annual effective dose varied from 3.5 to 4.6 mSv with an average of 4.0 ± 0.0.2 mSv. In mud dwellings, the equilibrium equivalent concentration (EEC) of radon varied from 102-148 Bq m^-3 with an average of 125 ± 9 Bq m^-3 and the annual effective dose varied from 4.4 to 6.4 mSv with an average of 5.4 ± 0.4 mSv.