Measurement of potential alpha energy exposure (PAEE) of radon and its progenies in dwellings in the North-Eastern region of India

• Published in: Radiation measurements 1996, Vol.26 (2), p.291-295
• Main Authors: Srivastava, Alok, Lalramengzami, R., Laldawngliana, C., Sinha, D., Ghosh, S., Dwivedi, K.K., Saxena, A., Ramachandran, T.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Geochronology; Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology; Pollution, environment geology
• ISSN: 1350-4487; 1879-0925
• DOI: 10.1016/1350-4487(95)00295-2

The potential alpha energy exposure (PAEE) due to radon and its progenies has been measured in dwellings at five different locations in the north-eastern region of India. The measurements were carried out using the passive time-integrated method by employing LR-115 (Type II) solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD). The data obtained in the present work has been compared with the indoor radon levels prescribed by the international Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) at which intervention may be considered. The geometric mean of potential alpha energy exposure (PAEE) due to indoor radon in dwellings of 24 towns in India is estimated as 8.8 ± 3.6 mWL and the corresponding annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) values has been found to be 2.7 ± 1.1 mSv y −1. A national average of indoor radon level was found to be 81 Bq m −3. The results are compared with the corresponding data of a few selected countries.