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Spatial and vertical distribution of radon and thoron in a typical Indian dwelling

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Abstract

Radon and thoron have been identified as potential radiological health hazard and the dose estimation due to their exposure is an important task. Understanding their behavior in indoor environment helps in calculating the inhalation doses due to them. Present study aims at the distribution of radon and thoron concentrations in a typical Indian dwelling. Solid state nuclear track detectors are employed in the study. The concentration of radon is found to be invariant in indoor environment. The thoron concentration is found to decrease exponentially as a function of distance from the source (wall/floor). Solution of one dimensional diffusion equation is used for regression fittings for thoron variation, from which the diffusion constants and the exhalation rates were calculated. The diffusion constants varied from 0.00195 to 0.00540 m2 s−1.

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Acknowledgments

Authors thank Dr. A. Ramakrishna and Dr. A.R. Sundararajan of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Mumbai, Dr. A.R. Reddy, former Director of D.R.D.O., New Delhi for their continued interest and encouragement. Financial support from AERB in the form of a research project No. AERB/SRP/23/05, dated 05.10.2001 is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, 500 075, India

    K. Vinay Kumar Reddy

  2. Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women, Abids, Hyderabad, 500 001, India

    M. Sreenath Reddy

  3. Department of Physics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, 500 007, India

    Ch. Gopal Reddy, P. Yadagiri Reddy & K. Rama Reddy

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  1. K. Vinay Kumar Reddy
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  2. M. Sreenath Reddy
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  3. Ch. Gopal Reddy
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  4. P. Yadagiri Reddy
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  5. K. Rama Reddy
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Correspondence to P. Yadagiri Reddy.

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Reddy, K.V.K., Reddy, M.S., Reddy, C.G. et al. Spatial and vertical distribution of radon and thoron in a typical Indian dwelling. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 292, 1089–1092 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-1655-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-1655-8

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