A study of indoor radon, thoron and their progeny measurement in Tosham region Haryana, India

Abstract

In the present study indoor radon, thoron and their decay products concentrations have been measured using the newly developed LR-115 type-ІІ based Radon-Thoron discriminating twin-cup dosimeters with single entry face, direct radon and thoron progeny sensors (DRPS/DTPS) respectively. The annual annihilation dose has been assessed from measured radionuclide concentration to find out major contributor of lung cancer in the study area. The measurements have been carried out in NINETY dwellings of THIRTEEN different villages situated in and around the Tosham region. This region is known to be composed of acidic volcanic and associated granites. Dwellings were selected mainly targeting different type building material used in construction of houses like concrete–brick, mud-brick, and mud-thatches along with an idea of different ventilation conditions which affects the equilibrium factor (EF). The EF in this region has been varying from 0.20 to 0.72 and 0.03–0.13 for indoor radon and thoron respectively. The average inhalation dose observed in dwellings of different villages varies from 1.33 ± 0.31–3.36 ± 0.72 mSv/y that lies within the safe limits recommended by ICRP (2011).

Keywords

• Indoor radon
• Thoron
• Progeny concentration
• Pin-hole cup dosimeters
• DRPS/DTPS
• Equilibrium factor
• Inhalation dose