House-Type Analysis of 222Rn, 220Rn, and their Progeny in some Dwellings in Budgam Karewas of the Kashmir Valley

Abstract

The average radiation dose received by humans each year as natural background radiation is 2.4 mSv and long-term exposure to such harmful radiation can be severely hazardous. According to the BEIR-VI report, radon (222Rn) alone accounts for higher than 50% of all ambient radiation from natural sources. Thus, its quantification is essential to evaluate any risk imposed by radiation dose to human health. Newly created LR-115 films embedded in the pinhole detectors have been used for passive time-integrated assessment of the radon (222Rn), thoron (220Rn), and their progeny levels in permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary house types. The annual average radon levels in these three house types were 31.7 Bqm-3, 37.2 Bqm-3, and 55.2 Bqm-3, respectively. The annual average value of radon of permanent and semi-permanent houses was found to lie below, while that of temporary houses exceeded the worldwide average of 40 Bqm-3. Meanwhile, permanent houses have annual mean thoron concentrations of 31.3 Bqm-3, semi-permanent houses have 40.9 Bqm-3, and temporary, houses have 41.58 Bqm-3. All three house types outperformed the annual global average of thoron.