Determination of radon levels in dwellings and social objects and evaluation annual effective dose from inhalation of radon in Stepnogorsk area Northern Kazakhstan
Abstract
Radon is a noble gas that is one of the natural radioactive decay products of radium resulting from the disintegration of uranium. Humans are exposed to sources of natural radiation activity, being radon and its progeny breathing air responsible for more than 50% of the annual dose received from natural radiation. The aim of this study was to determine the radon concentration in the air in settlements’ dwellings and social objects and calculate the annual effective dose of population from radon on the territory mining activities in Stepnogorsk area. The study has shown that activity concentrations of indoor radon in the buildings ranged from 8 to 870 Bq · m 3 in Aqsu, 3-540 Bq · m 3 in Kvartsitka located close to former gold mining sites. The Einh corresponding to the activity concentrations ranged from 1-27 mSv · y 1 received by the settlements’ public. The highest value of Einh in Aqsu School reaches up to 68 mSv · y 1 received by the critical group of public was found at the territory of former mining the Stepnogorsk area. The results of this study show significant radiation hazards in Aqsu School which located at the territory of former mining site, and there is evidence of radon health risk to the members of the public.
About the Authors
D. S. IbrayevaKazakhstan
M. N. Aumalikova
Kazakhstan
K. B. Ilbekova
Kazakhstan
M. M. Bakhtin
Kazakhstan
P. K. Kazymbet
Kazakhstan
References
1. UNSCEAR 2000 REPORT Vol. I Sources and effects of ionizing radiation (United Nations, New York 2000) 659 p.
2. S.D. Chambers et al., Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 16 (2016) 885-899.
3. A. El-Taher, Journal of Radiation and Nuclear Applications 3 (2018) 135-141.
4. UNSCEAR 2000 REPORT Vol. II Sources and effects of ionizing radiation (United Nations, New York 2000) 566 p.
5. D. Ibrayeva et al., Radiation Protection Dosimetry 189(4) (2020) 517-526.
6. M. Aumalikova et al., Radiation and Environmental Biophysics 59 (2020) 703-710.
7. M. Aumalikova et al., BULLETIN of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University 2(127) (2019) 38-48.
8. K. Zhumadilov et al., Radiation Environment Biophysics 54 (2015) 145-149.
9. K. Zhumadilov et al., E3S Web Conf. 22 (2017) 00201.
10. IAEA-TECDOC-1363, Guidelines for radioelement mapping using gamma ray spectrometry data (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna 2003) 179 p.
11. ASTM D6327-10, ASTM International (ASTM International, West Conshohocken, 2016).
12. UNSCEAR 2000 United Nations Report to the General Assembly with Scientific Annexes (United Nations New York, 2000) 21 p.
Review
For citations:
Ibrayeva D.S., Aumalikova M.N., Ilbekova K.B., Bakhtin M.M., Kazymbet P.K. Determination of radon levels in dwellings and social objects and evaluation annual effective dose from inhalation of radon in Stepnogorsk area Northern Kazakhstan. Eurasian Journal of Physics and Functional Materials. 2020;4(4):344-350. https://doi.org/10.29317/ejpfm.2020040408