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
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.