Radon exhalation rates from some building materials used in Sudan

Abstract

Measurements of radon concentration, surface and mass exhalation rates were made for 12 types (264 measurements) of building material samples frequently used in Sudan. In this survey, we used the can technique, containing CR-39, to estimate the radon exposure from building materials. The results of radon concentrations in the selected building materials ranged from 506 ± 79 Bq.m−3 in mud bricks of Aroma area to 128 ± 39 Bq.m−3 in ceramic material. The surface and mass exhalation rates ranged from 949 ± 70 mBq.m−2.h−1, 11.25 ± 1.76 mBq.kg−1 h−1 to 240 ± 35 mBq.m−2 h−1, 2.84 ± 0.87 mBq.kg−1.h−1, respectively. The effective dose was calculated that ranged from 3.59 ± 1.10 mSv.y−1 to 14.21 ± 2.23 mSv.y−1, for ceramic and mud materials, respectively. These results agreed with similar findings that mud contributes in a higher indoor concentration than the other investigated materials, mud was found to constitute an effective dose above the action level as quoted by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).

Indoor radon concentrations in Al-Hasahisa and Rufaa towns in the central part of Sudan

“…There are many sources contributing the variation of indoor radon these sources are soil [7,8,9,10], building materials (rocks, cement, gravel, clay, sand, etc.) [11], surface and ground water sources [12,13], natural energy sources like (gas, coal, etc.) [14].…”

“…Many investigations carried out in selected regions to study radon concentration in soil, building materials, water and indoor air in some parts of Sudan [3,4,5,7,8,9,11,12,13,21,23,24]. In this study, effort has been taken to estimate indoor radon concentration from (276) measurements from Al Hasahisa town (143 measurements) and Rufaa town (133 measurements) in the central part of Sudan ( fig.…”

Radon Monitoring in the Environment

“…This may depend on the consumption rate and the origin of the source. Measurements of radon exhalation rates could be done by both active and passive techniques [7].…”

“…The annual effective dose rate was also related to the average radon concentration C Rn by the following expression [1,7]:…”

“…Therefore, after smoking, the second factor of lung cancer is radon [2]. The associated health risks due to inhalation and ingestion of radon and its progeny when present in enhanced levels in an indoor environment, water and soils surrounding a human dwelling have been well documented [3][4][5][6][7]. The radon concentration is usually depending on many parameters: including the radium content in the soil, meteorological parameters and the radon emanating from various soils and rocks [8,9].…”