Radiation Protection and Environment (Jan 2018)

Study on influence of soil and atmospheric parameters on radon/thoron exhalation rate in the Bangalore University campus, Bengaluru

  • M B Karthik Kumar,
  • N Nagaiah,
  • Gladys Mathews,
  • M R Ambika

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/rpe.RPE_9_18
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 41, no. 1
pp. 8 – 11

Abstract

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In the present study, Radon (222Rn) and Thoron (220Rn) concentration have been measured in the Bangalore University Campus using RAD7 during the postmonsoon season. The results reveal that 222Rn concentration ranged from 360 ± 146 to 643 ± 196 Bq/m3 with the geometric mean (GM) of 497 ± 173 Bq/m3 whereas 220Rn Concentration varied from 2668 ± 208 to 6128 ± 246 Bq/m3 with the GM of 4287 ± 262 Bq/m3. The radon and thoron exhalation rates were also calculated and found to lie between 15.62 ± 6.34 and 27.91 ± 8.51 mBq/m2/s with the GM of 21.58 ± 7.50 mBq/m2/s and 1316 ± 102 and 3024 ± 121 mBq/m2/s with the GM of 2115 ± 129 mBq/m2/s, respectively. An attempt was made to see the dependence of radon/thoron exhalation rate on few soil and atmospheric parameters. The concentration of radon and thoron was observed to be normally distributed and hence arithmetic mean, GM and median were found to be nearly same.

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