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A representative national survey on population exposure to radon in Italian dwellings was carried out from 1989 to 1994, with the co-operation of the National Health Service. The measurements were performed by 19 Regional Laboratories, all using the same techniques and protocols. A stratified, two-stage sampling procedure was used to sample families. The sampled families were approached door-to-door to maximize response. To optimize the quality of the measurements, two dosimeters, each containing two alpha track detectors, were placed together in one room (typically the bedroom) for two consecutive 6-mo periods. The distribution of annual radon concentration was derived from measurements in 4,866 dwellings. The average value is 75 Bq m(-3) and the fractions of dwellings above the reference levels of 150, 200, 400, and 600 Bq m-3 are 8.7%, 4.7%, 1.0%, and 0.2%, respectively. The geometric mean is 57 Bq m-3 while the geometric standard deviation is 2.0. The average values in the Italian Regions fall within the 20-120 Bq m-3 range. When the average radon concentration is examined vs. story, building materials seem to play a significant role. The average lifetime risk of lung cancer for chronic radon exposure of Italian population at home would be about 5 x 10(-3), using the risk factor proposed by the ICRP in 1993.

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Abstract One of the most important goals of the Italian survey, initiated in 1989, was to promote ad hoc policies to reduce radon exposure of the population. In the survey a statistical representative sample of 5000 dwellings was chosen; two six-month measurements were made of the indoor radon concentration, in combination with one six month measurement of gamma exposure. The results of the radon concentration measurements are reported here they refer to 80% of the sample. The annual mean value was 81.5 Bq.m-3, which is higher than the reported for other industrialised countries. The survey was widely accepted by the families and provided an opportunity to collect information on families and their habits, as well as on the characteristics of the dwellings. The data will make it possible to evaluate the number of houses above a given level. It is up to the political authorities to define such a level on the basis of these data and the economic and social factors.

The Italian survey of aircrew exposure has been carried out with different advanced dosimetric systems, as described in part I of this paper. The key strategy of the survey was to obtain on-board comparison of measurements for both passive and real-time detectors flown together with passengers. The survey has been carried out in the period of solar minimum (1995-1997), in which the exposure to galactic cosmic rays reaches its maximum value. Even though carrying out the survey in the period of solar minimum was entirely coincidental, this circumstance has been used to good advantage to obtain a comprehensive set of data of the galactic cosmic radiation with little or no disturbance by the solar activity modulation. This comprehensive set of data covers flight routes between -20 degrees and 75 degrees geographic latitude at different civil aviation altitudes. The survey obtained with different advanced dosimetric systems has been supplemented by a large variety of data gathered with passive stacks on different short-range and long-range flights at supersonic and subsonic altitudes. Some of the most important conclusions which can be drawn from the survey are: (i) aircrew of civil aviation receive annual doses within the range of 1 mSv to 6 mSv; (ii) data from different periods of solar minimum agree well, since the discrepancies encountered seem mainly due to the different dosimetric systems used; (iii) repeated measurements on the same route are highly consistent.