Outdoor and Indoor Ambient Dose Equivalent Rates in Berane Town, Montenegro

Abstract

Abstract. This paper presents the results of ambient dose rate measurements conducted in the air of Berane town, Republic of Montenegro. Measurements were performed by Geiger-Müller counter -Radex RD1503 + , in the middle of October 2015. An average daily value of 114.8 nSv/h of ambient dose equivalent rate was obtained, spanning from 50-160 nSv/h in the morning and 70-177 nSv/h in the evening. Analysis of the impact of spatial variations on gamma radiation levels shows a very weak correlation between indoor ambient dose rate and outdoor ambient dose rate measured either in the morning (r = 0.09) or in the evening (r = 0.19). Building materials or stuff in buildings do not contribute additionally to ambient dose rates. Due to the lack of published data of dose rates, these results are the first measurements of radiation levels in Berane town.

Temporal and spatial variations of ambient dose equivalent rate in urban and rural sites

“…RADEX model RD1503 + operates in the interval of ambient dose equivalent rates from 0.05 to 9.99 μSv/h and in the temperature range from -18 °C to 65 °C. Measurement uncertainty for gamma radiation is ±15% (RADEX, 2017; Gulan & Spasović, 2017). The natural radiation of terrestrial origin, as well as radiation from radionuclides in the air (decay products of radon, Be-7 and Na-22 in the atmosphere) is measured by RADEX.…”

“…The dose rate in air changes from place to place and over time, because the diversity of soil composition affects the dose variation more than cosmic radiation (Gulan & Spasović, 2017). The variation of terrestrial gamma radiation is usually greater than the variation of cosmic radiation.…”