Assessment of indoor radon-222 concentration levels in some dwellings in tubas city during summer of 2015

Abstract EN

In this study, the indoor radon concentrations were measured in 87 different rooms in Tubas city located in northern West Bank, Palestine, using CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors.

The measurements were performed during the summer of 2015 for a period of three months using 100 detectors.

The detectors were installed in randomly selected apartments, stores, schools, and warehouses in the area under study.

The results of indoor radon concentrations and the annual effective dose in rooms were found to vary from 48 to 416 Bqm-3 and 1.2 to 10.4 mSv y-1, with average values of 137.0 Bqm-3 and 3.43 mSvy-1, respectively.

The average values of radon concentrations levels in markets and warehouses, houses and apartments, storage rooms and basements, and schools, are: 154.2, 116.5, 168.5, and 112.5 Bqm-3, respectively.

The corresponding average annual effective dose values for these places are: 3.86, 2.91, 4.21, and 2.81 m Svy-1, respectively.

In general, the results show that radon concentration levels in 81% of the rooms under study are lower than that the indoor action level 150 Bqm-3 in the United States.

The obtained average annual effective dose value is about 2-3 times higher than the assigned international value (1.3 mSvy-1).

This might be an indication that the surveyed zones are characterized by high radon exposure doses, and an action should take place.