Human exposure to indoor radon: a survey in the region of Guarda, Portugal

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Louro, A (Author) Other; Peralta, L (Author) Other; Soares, S (Author) Other; Pereira, A (Author) Other; Cunha, G (Author) Other; Belchior, A (Author) Other; Ferreira, L (Author) Other; Gil, OM (Author) Other; Louro, H (Author) Other; Pinto, P (Author) Other; Rodrigues, AS (Author) Other; Silva, MJ (Author) Other; Teles, P (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Radiation Protection Dosimetry

Vol. 154

Pages: 237-244

ISSN: 0144-8420

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 10 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-005-24T

DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncs166

Abstract (EN): Radon (Rn-222) is a radioactive gas, abundant in granitic areas, such as the city of Guarda at the northeast of Portugal. This gas is recognised as a carcinogenic agent, being appointed by the World Health Organization as the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Therefore, the knowledge of radon concentrations inside the houses (where people stay longer) is important from the point of view of radiological protection. The main goal of this study was to assess the radon concentration in an area previously identified with a potentially high level of residential radon. The radon concentration was measured using CR-39 detectors, exposed for a period of 2 months in 185 dwellings in the Guarda region. The radon concentration in studied dwellings, ranged between 75 and 7640 Bq m(3), with a geometric mean of 640 Bq m(3) and an arithmetic mean of 1078 Bq m(3). Based on a local wintersummer radon concentration variation model, these values would correspond to an annual average concentration of 860 Bq m(3). Several factors contribute to this large dispersion, the main one being the exact location of housing construction in relation to the geochemical nature of the soil and others the predominant building material and ventilation. Based on the obtained results an average annual effective dose of 15 mSv y(1) is estimated, well above the average previously estimated for Portugal.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8