A Nationwide Survey of 222Rn and Gamma Radiation Levels in Australian Homes

Abstract

A nationwide survey of Australian homes was conducted to determine the average annual dose equivalents to the Australian population from exposure to Rn and gamma radiation. The exposure to Rn was measured using solid-state track detectors (SSTD), while the gamma radiation dose was concurrently determined using thermoluminescent dosimetry. Dosimeters were placed in approximately 3,400 randomly distributed homes (representing about 1 in 1,400 occupied dwellings) for 12 mo. The average Rn concentration in Australian homes measured over a year is 11 Bq m-3. Using appropriate conversion factors, the annual average effective dose equivalents to the Australian population were determined to be 0.5 mSv and 0.9 mSv for Rn and gamma radiation exposure, respectively.

Measurements to determine the radiological impact of uranium and thorium in soils in the darling scarp

“…A national survey by Langroo et al [4] measured gamma radiation levels in homes throughout Australia with thermoluminescent (TLD) gamma monitors. The results of this survey indicated a mean gamma dose rate of 1000 ASv/year and an approximate normal distribution.…”

“…Langroo et al [4] conducted an Australia-wide radon in homes survey over a 1-year monitoring period using the passive CR-39 monitors. The median radon concentration was 11 Bq m À3 for Western Australia with the distribution being approximately log-normal [6].…”

Coordinated indoor radon surveys in some Arab countries

“…National surveys which approximate in character to this latter description were carried out in many European countries; the UK (Wrixon et al 1988), Ireland (McLaughlin andWasiolek, 1988), Italy (Bochicchio et al 1994), Finland (Castren, 1994) and Sweden (Swedgemark and Mjones 1984), and non-European countries, e.g. the United States of America (Marcinowski, 1992) and Australia (Langroo et al 1991). UNSCEAR reports (UNSCEAR, 1993 and2000) give a summary of the principal results from a number of national and regional surveys carried out in EU Member States, other European countries, North America, Japan and Australia.…”

Study of indoor radon and its progeny levels in rural areas of North India using LR-115 plastic track detectors

“…Measurement of indoor radon and its progeny levels in human dwellings, therefore, has become very important from health physics point of view. Nationwide surveys have been conducted in many advanced countries to find the radon levels in various kinds of houses (Cohen, 1975;Jonsson, 1988;Langroo et al, 1991;Kendall et al, 1994). In India, too, there had been a plea for national effort on monitoring environment radon (Subba Ramu et al, 1991).…”