Soil radon exhalation rate measurement in Duhok city by two techniques

Abstract

Radon exhalation rate is the rate of radioactive radon gas that escapes from the soil into the atmosphere. In this study exhalation rate of radon was measured for 33 samples of soil, in four districts of Duhok province, using two different techniques: one using radon concentration and other using radium content, by both alpha and gamma spectroscopy. For the radon measurement, alpha-sensitive RAD7 detector was used. While in the second method, radon exhalation rate was expressed as a function of radium concentration, measured by well type NaI (Tl) detector and other soil parameters. Analysis, shows that the average of radon exhalation rate, by the first technique, varies from 14.6 ± 3.2 to 55.7 ± 1.6 Bqm-2h-1, while by the second technique, it varies from 13.3 ± 2.4 to 50.6 ± 4.1 Bqm-2h-1. Overall, the measured values, for both methods at all the sample points, present a good correlation and less than global mean average recommendation.

Keywords

• radon gas
• radon exhalation rate
• alpha spectroscopy
• radium
• gamma spectroscopy