Indoor radon measurements in dwellings of Kulu area, Himachal Pradesh, using solid state nuclear track detectors

Citation
S. Singh et al., Indoor radon measurements in dwellings of Kulu area, Himachal Pradesh, using solid state nuclear track detectors, RADIAT MEAS, 34(1-6), 2001, pp. 505-508
Citations number
13
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Apllied Physucs/Condensed Matter/Materiales Science
Journal title
RADIATION MEASUREMENTS
ISSN journal
1350-4487 → ACNP
Volume
34
Issue
1-6
Year of publication
2001
Pages
505 - 508
Database
ISI
SICI code
1350-4487(200106)34:1-6<505:IRMIDO>2.0.ZU;2-Q
Abstract
In the present paper, the results of radon activity recorded in domestic re gions of the Kulu area (Himachal Pradesh, India) known for uranium minerali sation are reported. Time integrated track etch technique has been used for the measurement of indoor radon levels. Bare cellulose nitrate LR-115 type II films have been used as detectors in the survey of radon. The calibrati on constant of 4.8 x 10(2) tracks cm(-2) day(-1) per WL of radon at equilib rium (which corresponds to 12.97 x 10(-2) tracks cm(-2) d(-1) per Bq m(-3)) determined by Subba Ramu et al. (Sci. Total Environ. 73 (1988) 245) has be en used to express radon activity in Bq m(-3). In some of the dwellings the levels of radon activity are found to be quite high giving an annual expos ure dose that crosses the safety limits set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP, Protection against radon-222 at home and at work, ICRP Publication 65, Annals of the ICRP, 23 (2), 1993). A study o f seasonal variations of indoor radon in some of the dwellings has also bee n carried out. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.