Assessment of the dose received by students and staff in schools in the Rawalpindi region of Pakistan due to indoor radon

Abstract

Studies concerning measurements of indoor radon levels were carried out in 60 schools in the Rawalpindi region of Pakistan. In each school, six CR-39 based NRPB type radon detectors were installed and exposed to the indoor radon in two cycles (each of six months' duration). After exposure, the detectors were removed, etched in 6 M NaOH for 16 h at 80 °C, and the tracks were counted under an optical microscope. The measured track densities were then related to radon concentrations, from which the radiation doses were calculated. The observed radon concentrations varied from 15 to 140 Bq m−3, with an average activity concentration of 42.75 ± 9.28 Bq m−3. The mean annual radon effective dose equivalent was found to be 0.40 ± 0.09 mSv using an occupancy factor of 8 h day−1. Our results show that the indoor radon concentrations in the schools surveyed are within the permissible limits.