Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Nigus Alene Assefa; Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj

doi:doi:10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11

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Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Nigus Alene Assefa, Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj

Published in Radiation Science and Technology (Volume 5, Issue 2)

Received: 3 September 2019 Accepted: 29 September 2019 Published: 10 October 2019

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Abstract

Radon is an inert radioactive gas. A long term exposure to high concentration of radon causes lung cancer. Taking this into account, an investigation in some offices of Adigrat Universityhas been made to estimate the radon concentrations and to determine the health risk of the workers in the community. In the present study, Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (LR-115 type II) has been used to measure the emission of radon from 12 offices for a period of 3 months. After an exposure time of 3 months, films were removed from each office andtaken for etching. After the etching, films were washed with distilled water and allowed to dry for 1day. Finally, alpha tracks were counted using an optical microscope at magnification power of 400X. Results obtained in the present study show that the value of concentration of radon ranges from 171.31 Bq.m⁻³ to 394.05 Bq.m⁻³ with mean concentration273.79 Bq.m⁻³ and standard deviation of 79.7Bq.m⁻³ and the inhalation dose rate varies from a minimum of 1.54 mSv.y⁻¹ to a maximum of 3.55 mSv.y⁻¹ with an average of 2.46 mSv.y⁻¹ and standard deviation of 0.72 mSv.y⁻¹. Even though, radon concentration levels were found to be higher the inhalation dose rate is safe within recommended limits

Published in	Radiation Science and Technology (Volume 5, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11
Page(s)	11-14
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Radon Concentration, LR-115 Plastic Track Detectors, Offices

References

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[2]	Bajawa, D., A. K. Goswami I. Laskar, 2009. Radon exhalation rate studies in Makum coalfield area using track-etched detectors. Indian J. Phys., 83:1155-1162. DOI: 10.1007/s12648-009-0095-y.
[3]	M. Shakir Khan, A. H. Naqvi1, A. Azam, D. S. Srivastava, Radium and radon exhalation studies of soil, Iran. J. Radiat. Res., 2011; 8(4): 207-210.
[4]	Irene Opoku-Ntim, Aba BentilAndam, O. C. Oppon, Akwasi Bonsu Asumadu-Sakyi and Frank Kobla Quashie, Survey of Indoor Radon Levels at Several Districts in Ghana, Elixir Nuclear & Radiation Phys. 80 (2015) 31162-31164.
[5]	Navjeet Sharma, Rajesh Sharma and H. S. Virk, Environmental radioactivity: A case study of Punjab, India, Pelagia Research Library, Advances in Applied Science Research, 2011, 2 (3):186-190, ISSN: 0976-8610.
[6]	R. C. Ramolaand T. V. Ramachandran, Variation of Radon and Thoron Levels in Garhwal Homes, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Division of Radiotoxicology and Protection4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, 263-8555, Japan.
[7]	D. E. Martz, A. S. Rood, J. L. George and Jr. H. Langer, Year to Year Variation in Annual Average Indoor 222Rn Concentrationa. Health Phys. 61, 409-413 (1991).
[8]	Ali AbidAbojassim and Asia H. Al. Mashhadani, Study the Concentrations of Radon indoor at Different Times of the Day and Seasons of the Year in Al-Najaf City/Iraq, Elixir Nuclear & Radiation Phys. 85 (2015) 34171-34175.
[9]	Gebrelibanos, Tsegay (2003). "Addigrat". In Uhlig, Siegbert. Encyclopaedia Aethiopica. 1. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag.
[10]	http://www.adu.edu.et/about-us/
[11]	Samir Mohamed; “Investigation of radon pollution in grow and water in the southern part of gaza strip palestine”, Islamic University-Gaza-Palestine, 2007-1428, Palestine, 2007.
[12]	Al-Koahi M., Khader B., Lehlooh A., Kullab M., Abumurad K., and Al-Bataina B “Measurement of Radon -222 in Jordanian Dwellings”, Nucl., Tracks Radiation Measurement, 20, 1992, pp:377-382.
[13]	ICRP. Protection Against Radon-222 at Home and at Work. Publication 65. Annals of theICRP Vol. 23 No. 2; 1993.

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APA Style

Nigus Alene Assefa, Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj. (2019). Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Radiation Science and Technology, 5(2), 11-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11

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ACS Style

Nigus Alene Assefa; Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj. Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Radiat. Sci. Technol. 2019, 5(2), 11-14. doi: 10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11

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AMA Style

Nigus Alene Assefa, Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj. Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Radiat Sci Technol. 2019;5(2):11-14. doi: 10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11

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@article{10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11,
  author = {Nigus Alene Assefa and Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj},
  title = {Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia},
  journal = {Radiation Science and Technology},
  volume = {5},
  number = {2},
  pages = {11-14},
  doi = {10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.rst.20190502.11},
  abstract = {Radon is an inert radioactive gas. A long term exposure to high concentration of radon causes lung cancer. Taking this into account, an investigation in some offices of Adigrat Universityhas been made to estimate the radon concentrations and to determine the health risk of the workers in the community. In the present study, Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (LR-115 type II) has been used to measure the emission of radon from 12 offices for a period of 3 months. After an exposure time of 3 months, films were removed from each office andtaken for etching. After the etching, films were washed with distilled water and allowed to dry for 1day. Finally, alpha tracks were counted using an optical microscope at magnification power of 400X. Results obtained in the present study show that the value of concentration of radon ranges from 171.31 Bq.m−3 to 394.05 Bq.m−3 with mean concentration273.79 Bq.m−3 and standard deviation of 79.7Bq.m−3 and the inhalation dose rate varies from a minimum of 1.54 mSv.y−1 to a maximum of 3.55 mSv.y−1 with an average of 2.46 mSv.y−1 and standard deviation of 0.72 mSv.y−1. Even though, radon concentration levels were found to be higher the inhalation dose rate is safe within recommended limits},
 year = {2019}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
AU  - Nigus Alene Assefa
AU  - Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj
Y1  - 2019/10/10
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11
T2  - Radiation Science and Technology
JF  - Radiation Science and Technology
JO  - Radiation Science and Technology
SP  - 11
EP  - 14
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5943
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11
AB  - Radon is an inert radioactive gas. A long term exposure to high concentration of radon causes lung cancer. Taking this into account, an investigation in some offices of Adigrat Universityhas been made to estimate the radon concentrations and to determine the health risk of the workers in the community. In the present study, Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (LR-115 type II) has been used to measure the emission of radon from 12 offices for a period of 3 months. After an exposure time of 3 months, films were removed from each office andtaken for etching. After the etching, films were washed with distilled water and allowed to dry for 1day. Finally, alpha tracks were counted using an optical microscope at magnification power of 400X. Results obtained in the present study show that the value of concentration of radon ranges from 171.31 Bq.m−3 to 394.05 Bq.m−3 with mean concentration273.79 Bq.m−3 and standard deviation of 79.7Bq.m−3 and the inhalation dose rate varies from a minimum of 1.54 mSv.y−1 to a maximum of 3.55 mSv.y−1 with an average of 2.46 mSv.y−1 and standard deviation of 0.72 mSv.y−1. Even though, radon concentration levels were found to be higher the inhalation dose rate is safe within recommended limits
VL  - 5
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Nigus Alene Assefa

Department of Physics, Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia
Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj

Department of Physics, Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia

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APA Style

Nigus Alene Assefa, Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj. (2019). Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Radiation Science and Technology, 5(2), 11-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11

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ACS Style

Nigus Alene Assefa; Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj. Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Radiat. Sci. Technol. 2019, 5(2), 11-14. doi: 10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11

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AMA Style

Nigus Alene Assefa, Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj. Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Radiat Sci Technol. 2019;5(2):11-14. doi: 10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11,
  author = {Nigus Alene Assefa and Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj},
  title = {Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia},
  journal = {Radiation Science and Technology},
  volume = {5},
  number = {2},
  pages = {11-14},
  doi = {10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.rst.20190502.11},
  abstract = {Radon is an inert radioactive gas. A long term exposure to high concentration of radon causes lung cancer. Taking this into account, an investigation in some offices of Adigrat Universityhas been made to estimate the radon concentrations and to determine the health risk of the workers in the community. In the present study, Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (LR-115 type II) has been used to measure the emission of radon from 12 offices for a period of 3 months. After an exposure time of 3 months, films were removed from each office andtaken for etching. After the etching, films were washed with distilled water and allowed to dry for 1day. Finally, alpha tracks were counted using an optical microscope at magnification power of 400X. Results obtained in the present study show that the value of concentration of radon ranges from 171.31 Bq.m−3 to 394.05 Bq.m−3 with mean concentration273.79 Bq.m−3 and standard deviation of 79.7Bq.m−3 and the inhalation dose rate varies from a minimum of 1.54 mSv.y−1 to a maximum of 3.55 mSv.y−1 with an average of 2.46 mSv.y−1 and standard deviation of 0.72 mSv.y−1. Even though, radon concentration levels were found to be higher the inhalation dose rate is safe within recommended limits},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Some Selected Offices of Adigrat University, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
AU  - Nigus Alene Assefa
AU  - Munaj Kumar Bhardwaj
Y1  - 2019/10/10
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11
T2  - Radiation Science and Technology
JF  - Radiation Science and Technology
JO  - Radiation Science and Technology
SP  - 11
EP  - 14
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5943
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20190502.11
AB  - Radon is an inert radioactive gas. A long term exposure to high concentration of radon causes lung cancer. Taking this into account, an investigation in some offices of Adigrat Universityhas been made to estimate the radon concentrations and to determine the health risk of the workers in the community. In the present study, Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (LR-115 type II) has been used to measure the emission of radon from 12 offices for a period of 3 months. After an exposure time of 3 months, films were removed from each office andtaken for etching. After the etching, films were washed with distilled water and allowed to dry for 1day. Finally, alpha tracks were counted using an optical microscope at magnification power of 400X. Results obtained in the present study show that the value of concentration of radon ranges from 171.31 Bq.m−3 to 394.05 Bq.m−3 with mean concentration273.79 Bq.m−3 and standard deviation of 79.7Bq.m−3 and the inhalation dose rate varies from a minimum of 1.54 mSv.y−1 to a maximum of 3.55 mSv.y−1 with an average of 2.46 mSv.y−1 and standard deviation of 0.72 mSv.y−1. Even though, radon concentration levels were found to be higher the inhalation dose rate is safe within recommended limits
VL  - 5
IS  - 2
ER  -

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