Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment of radiological dose from exposure to attached and unattached fractions of radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) in indoor atmosphere

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study pin hole dosimeter with deposition based progeny sensors were used to estimate 222Rn, 220Rn and their daughters in the indoor atmosphere. The estimated annual average indoor 222Rn and 220Rn activity concentration were found to be 76.4 Bq m−3 and 93.5 Bq m−3, respectively. The mean value of EEC for radon and thoron was 45.5 Bq m−3 and 1.3 Bq m−3 respectively. The annual effective dose due to indoor 222Rn and 220Rn were found to be 2.9 mSv y−1 and 0.4 mSv y−1 respectively. The estimated effective doses are well below the safe limit as suggested by ICRP for indoor exposure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jansson G (1988) Indoor 222Rn measurements in Sweden with solid-state nuclear track detector technique. Health Phys 54:271–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation) (2008) Sources and effects of ionizing radiation. United Nations, New York

    Google Scholar 

  3. WHO (World Health Organization) (2009) Hand book on indoor radon: a public health perspective. WHO Press, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  4. Steinhausler F, Hofmann W, Lettner H (1994) Thoron exposure of man: a negligible issue? Radiat Prot Dosim 56:127–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Nair MK, Nambi KS, Amma NS, Gangadharan P, Jayalekshmi P, Jayadevan S, Cherian V, Reghuram KN (1999) Population study in the high natural background radiation area in Kerala, India. Radiat Res 152:S145–S148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bangotra P, Mishra R, Kaur K, Kanse S, Mehra R, Sahoo BK (2015) Estimation of EEC, unattached fractions and equilibrium factor for the assessment of radiological dose using pin-hole cup dosimeters and deposition based progeny sensors. J Environ Radioact 148:67–73

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mukesh P, Peter B, Anil KG, Mishra R, Ramola RC (2018) Dose assessment from the exposure to attached and unattached progeny of radon and thoron in indoor environment. Acta Geophys 66:1187–1194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Porstendorfer J (1994) Properties and behavior of radon and thoron and their decay products in the air. J Aerosol Sci 25:219–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Dankelmann V, Reineking A, Porstendorfer J (2001) Determination of neutralization rates of 218Po ions in air. Radiat Prot Dosim 94:353–357

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Butterweck G, Schuler C, Vessu G, Muller R, Marsh JW, Thrift S, Birchall A (2002) Experimental determination of the absorption rate of unattached radon progeny from respiratory track to blood. Radiat Prot Dosim 102:343–348

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Chamberlain AC, Dyson ED (1956) The dose to the trachea and bronchi from the decay products of radon and thoron. Br J Radiol 29:317–325

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Sannappa J, Suresh S, Rangaswamy DR, Srinivasa E (2019) Estimation of ambient gamma radiation dose and drinking water radon concentration in coastal taluks of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 323:1459–1466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sahoo BK, Sapra BK, Kanse SD, Gaware JJ, Mayya YS (2013) A new pin hole discriminated 222Rn/220Rn passive measurement device with single entry face. Radiat Meas 58:52–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Praminder S, Komal S, Mishra R, Sahoo BK, Bajwa BS (2016) Attached, unattached fraction of progeny concentrations and equilibrium factor for dose assessments from 222Rn and 220Rn. Radiat Environ Biophys 55:401–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Mishra R, Mayya YS, Kushwaha HS (2009) Measurement of 220Rn/222Rn progeny deposition velocities on surfaces and their comparison with theoretical models. J Aerosol Sci 40:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Mayya YS, Mishra R, Prajith R, Sapra BK, Kushwaha HS (2010) Wire-mesh capped deposition sensors: novel passive tool for coarse fraction flux estimation of radon thoron progeny in indoor environments. Sci Total Environ 409:378–383

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Knutson EO (1988) Modeling indoor concentrations of radon’s decay products. In: Nazaroff WW, Nero AV Jr (eds) Radon and its decay products in indoor air. Wiley, New York, pp 161–199

    Google Scholar 

  18. Porstendorfer J (1996) Radon: measurement related to dose. Environ Int 22:563–583

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) (1993) Protection against radon-222 at home and at work. ICRP Publication-65. Pergamon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  20. Nero AV Jr (1988) Radon and its decay products in indoor air: an overview. In: Nazaroff WW, Nero AV Jr (eds) Radon and its decay products in indoor air. Wiley, New York, pp 1–53

    Google Scholar 

  21. UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation) (2000) Annex B: exposures from natural radiation sources. United Nations, New York

    Google Scholar 

  22. UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation) (2006) Annex E: sources-to-effects assessment for radon in home and workplaces. United Nations, New York

    Google Scholar 

  23. Marsh JW, Birchall A (2000) Sensitivity analysis of the weighted equivalent lung dose per unit exposure from radon progeny. Radiat Prot Dosim 87:167–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) (2007) The 2007 recommendation of the international commission on radiological protection. ICRP Publication 103. Pergamon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  25. Mishra R, Sapra BK, Mayya YS (2014) Multi parametric approach towards the assessment of radon and thoron progeny exposures. Rev Sci Instrum 85:022105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) (2011) Lung cancer risk from radon and progeny and statement on radon. ICRP Publication-115. Pergamon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to M. P. E. Society’s Undergraduate Research Centre for providing the research Equipments. Also the cooperation extended by all the dwellers of study region is highly appreciated and thankfully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, M.P.E Society’s S.D.M Degree College, Honavar, 581334, India

    S. Suresh

  2. Department of Science and Humanities, PES University Electronic City Campus, Bangalore, 560100, India

    D. R. Rangaswamy

  3. Department of Studies and Research in Physics, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta, Shivamogga, 577451, India

    D. R. Rangaswamy & J. Sannappa

  4. Department of Physics, IDSG Government College, Chikkamagaluru, 577102, India

    E. Srinivasa

Authors
  1. S. Suresh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. R. Rangaswamy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Sannappa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. Srinivasa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Sannappa.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Suresh, S., Rangaswamy, D.R., Sannappa, J. et al. Assessment of radiological dose from exposure to attached and unattached fractions of radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) in indoor atmosphere. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 326, 173–184 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07285-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07285-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation