Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T13:35:56.209Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Radon concentration levels in Fatima Jinnah women university Pakistan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 August 2007

S. A. Khan
Affiliation:
Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
S. Ali
Affiliation:
Directorate of Safety, PAEC, Islamabad, Pakistan
M. Tufail
Affiliation:
PIEAS, P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
A. A. Qureshi
Affiliation:
PRD, PINSTECH, P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
Get access

Abstract

Public exposure to radioactive gas radon and its progeny present in the air results in the largest contribution to total effective dose received by human beings. It is therefore of great concern to monitor radon concentration in energy conserved air tight buildings. Measurements of radon in the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) have been carried out for investigation and comparison of radon concentration in the new and old buildings of the campus at Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The study was done because according to the international guidelines concerning environmental problems, it is necessary to evaluate and know the radon levels, especially since most of the natural radiation dose to human beings comes from radon gas and its progeny. Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs) being efficient, therefore, the measurements were carried out by passive, time integrated method, using CR-39 detector in polythene bags. The detectors were exposed for more than six month in various loctations indoors and outdoors. The detectorswere etched using NaOH, the tracks were counted manually, and the track density was converted to radon concentration. Radon concentration varied from 31 to213 Bq.m–3 in old building and from 27 to 143 Bq.m–3 in new buildings, showing slight elevated values in the old buildings. Radon concentration values were found to be less than the values quoted by radiation protection agencies. Radiation dose due to radon varied in the university campus depending on occupancy factor.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexander, F.E. (1995) The search for causes of the leukemia’s, Eur. J. Cancer 31, 863-867. CrossRef
Bakar & Jakson (1964) Geological map of Pakistan (scale 1:2,000,000) Geological Survey of Pakistan.
Durrani S.A., Bull R.K. (1987) Solid State Nuclear Track Detection. Pergamon Press, Oxford.
EPA (2003) Indoor Air: Radon, U.S. Environment Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov./iaq/radon/pubs/).
FJWU (2001) Commencement, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi-Pakistan.
Furuta, S., Ito, K., Ishimori, Y. (2002) Measurements of radon around closed uranium mines, J. Environm. Rad. 62, 97-114 CrossRef
Khan, H.A., Qureshi, I.E., Tufail, M. (1993) Passive dosimetry of radon and its daughters using solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs), Radiat. Protect. Dosim. 46, 149-170.
NRPB (1995) Radon around the world, Environmental Radon News Letter, Issue 5, Autumn, National Radiological Protection Board (http://www.nrpb.org/publications/newsletters/environmental_radon/archive/1995/ern5.pdf).
NRPB (2003) Radon, National Radiological Protection Board, UK (http://www.nrpb.org/radon/index.htm).
Sannappa, J., Chandrashekara, M.S., Sathish, L.A., Paramesh, L., Venkataramaiah, P. (2003) Study of background radiation dose in Mysore city, Karnataka State, India, Radiat. Meas. 37, 55-65 CrossRef
Shah S.M.I. (1977) Strategraphy of Pakistan, Memoirs of Geological Survey of Pakistan.
Tahir Kheli R.A.K. (1979) Geotectonic evolution of Kohistan, Geological Bulletin, University of Peshawar (special issue).
UNSCEAR (2000) Sources and effects of ionizing radiation, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Report to General Assembly, New York (http://www.unscear.org/reports/2000_1.html).