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Evaluation of effect of ventilation on radon concentration and occupational exposure to radon daughters in low ore grade underground uranium mine

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Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of various ventilation parameters on radon concentration and inhalation exposure of miners in underground uranium mines. The study carried out at Jaduguda mine revealed that the airflow rate plays a significant role in controlling the radon and its daughter concentrations in the mine. The equilibrium equivalent radon concentration in the mine stopes varied from 180 to 402 Bq m−3. Under existing ventilation condition of the mine, the average inhalation exposure of miners was estimated to be 0.42 WLM year−1, which is about 10 % of the current threshold limit of 4 WLM year−1.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their sincere thanks to Mr. D. Acharya, Chairman and Managing Director, Uranium Corporation of Indian Ltd for granting necessary permission to carry out the research work in Jaduguda uranium mine. Authors are also thankful to Dr. V. N. Jha, Officer-in-charge, Health Physics Unit, BARC, Jaduguda for extending all kinds of support for carrying out the experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mining Engineering, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, 826 004, India

    Patitapaban Sahu, Durga Charan Panigrahi & Devi Prasad Mishra

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  1. Patitapaban Sahu
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  2. Durga Charan Panigrahi
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  3. Devi Prasad Mishra
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Correspondence to Devi Prasad Mishra.

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Sahu, P., Panigrahi, D.C. & Mishra, D.P. Evaluation of effect of ventilation on radon concentration and occupational exposure to radon daughters in low ore grade underground uranium mine. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 303, 1933–1941 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3687-8

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