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Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 222Rn in the indoor air and surface soil in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Methods for estimating indoor 222Rn and health risks to the population

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine activity concentrations of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 222Rn) and radiological risks due to the contamination of radionuclides in surface soil in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Based on the activity concentration of 226Ra in the surface soil, we proposed a method for estimation of the radon concentration in the indoor air. The assessments of radiation dose and excess lifetime cancer risk show that the utilization of surface soils for human residences or routine activities in the studied area poses no risk to the public health.

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Acknowledgement

This research is funded by University of Science, VNU-HCM, under grant number T2020-27. The authors would like to thank the Vietnam National University, of Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam (VNUHCM) has sponsored HPGe detectors for our NTLab to perform in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Technique Laboratory, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Vu Ngoc Ba, Van Thang Nguyen, Huynh Nguyen Phong Thu & Truong Thi Hong Loan

  2. Faculty of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Van Thang Nguyen, Bui Ngoc Thien, Huynh Nguyen Phong Thu & Truong Thi Hong Loan

  3. Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Vu Ngoc Ba, Van Thang Nguyen, Bui Ngoc Thien, Huynh Nguyen Phong Thu & Truong Thi Hong Loan

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  1. Vu Ngoc Ba
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  2. Van Thang Nguyen
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  3. Bui Ngoc Thien
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  4. Huynh Nguyen Phong Thu
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  5. Truong Thi Hong Loan
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All authors provided critical feedback, discussion and helped shape the research, analysis for manuscript.

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Correspondence to Van Thang Nguyen.

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Ba, V.N., Nguyen, V.T., Thien, B.N. et al. Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 222Rn in the indoor air and surface soil in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Methods for estimating indoor 222Rn and health risks to the population. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 327, 897–904 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07530-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07530-w

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