In the present work, radon gas concentrations in different dwellings in Baghdad governorate are measured by using RAD-7 detector. The results have shown that, the radon gas concentrations ranged between (40.67 ± 3.1 Bq/m 3) to (190.00 ± 2.7 Bq/m 3) with an average value (113.66 ± 30.2 Bq/m 3); in the first one we draw the map radiations for indoor radon gas concentrations in Baghdad governorate. We would like to mention that the present study is considered to be very important and vital because it is concerned with people health and safety in the first place.
Radon (222Rn) is a radioactive gas with a half-life of (3.82 d). It is produced by the decay of naturally occurring radionuclide (226Ra), which was decay product in the uranium (238U) series. Thoron gas (220Rn), which is a radon isotope, is a decay product in the thorium (232Th) series. The half-life of thoron is (56 s) which is much shorter than that of radon. Because of such a short half-life of thoron, its emanation from building materials, as well as, its infiltration from the ground and further migration is restricted to a few centimeters only. When radon is inhaled into the lungs it decays by means of alpha-emission which causes ionization damage when it strikes the lung tissue. Over time, this damage causes lung cancer [
A-The Detector
The RAD-7 is a true, real-time continuous radon monitor. This means that a varied radon concentration level can be observed during a measurement period. This is very helpful, in the sense that one can investigate the factors influencing the radon concentration with time. The factors may include temperature changes, wind speeds, relative humidity and may even give insight into air movements in a room [
Sniff mode and circle time was set to be 1 hour in accordance with running time of each path of the valve. In order to investigate radon released from the sample to air, the sample was enclosed into a column and airborne radon was measured with a continuous monitor of electrostatic type (RAD-7, Durridge company, USA). The experimental setup shown in
The air flow rate was 0.7 L・min−1. Room air was drawn from the inlet and radon generated in the air flow system was measured with the RAD-7. The measurement interval was 1 hour. The sample weight was different from sample to sample [
In this work measurement the radon gas concentrations in different dwellings in 50 locations for Baghdad governorate.
The results have shown that, the radon gas concentrations ranged between (40.67 ± 3.1 Bq/m3) to (190.00 ± 2.7 Bq/m3) with an average value (113.66 ± 30.2 Bq/m3). All the results in the present work which were lower
No. | Sample location | CRn (Bq/m3) | Mean of CRn (Bq/m3) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mansour | 141 | 156 | 158 | 151.70 ± 7.1 |
2 | Yarmouk | 84 | 92 | 93 | 89.67 ± 3.8 |
3 | Ghazaliya | 66 | 69 | 73 | 69.33 ± 2.4 |
4 | Karada | 36 | 43 | 43 | 40.67 ± 3.1 |
5 | Mustansiriya | 104 | 112 | 116 | 110.70 ± 4.4 |
6 | Kadamiyah | 94 | 103 | 114 | 103.70 ± 6.9 |
7 | keeylani | 81 | 83 | 89 | 84.33 ± 3.1 |
8 | Mahmudiyah | 184 | 188 | 192 | 188.00 ± 2.7 |
9 | Kadhimiyah | 112 | 121 | 129 | 120.70 ± 5.8 |
10 | Zafraniya | 77 | 92 | 97 | 88.67 ± 7.8 |
11 | Jisr Dayala | 61 | 73 | 74 | 69.33 ± 5.6 |
12 | Abu dsheer | 78 | 86 | 98 | 87.33 ± 7.1 |
13 | Baladiat | 111 | 123 | 128 | 120.70 ± 6.4 |
14 | Ameen | 79 | 100 | 112 | 97.00 ± 12 |
15 | Hurriya | 54 | 62 | 71 | 62.33 ± 5.8 |
16 | Jihad | 124 | 129 | 132 | 128.30 ± 2.9 |
17 | Jazeera | 62 | 75 | 76 | 71.00 ± 6.0 |
18 | Babil | 143 | 151 | 158 | 150.70 ± 5.1 |
19 | Rustamiyah | 153 | 157 | 162 | 157.30 ± 3.1 |
20 | Kamalliya | 72 | 79 | 85 | 78.67 ± 4.4 |
21 | Qahira | 132 | 137 | 144 | 137.70 ± 4.2 |
22 | Ishbillya | 96 | 104 | 111 | 103.70 ± 5.1 |
23 | Shamasiya | 69 | 75 | 90 | 78.00 ± 8.0 |
24 | Washash | 87 | 95 | 99 | 93.67 ± 4.4 |
25 | Atifiya | 143 | 147 | 156 | 148.70 ± 4.9 |
26 | Mashtal | 125 | 129 | 132 | 128.70 ± 2.4 |
27 | Jamia | 76 | 85 | 94 | 85.00 ± 6.0 |
28 | Kindi | 132 | 141 | 143 | 138.70 ± 4.4 |
29 | Neel | 101 | 108 | 113 | 107.30 ± 4.2 |
30 | Shaab | 187 | 189 | 194 | 190.00 ± 2.7 |
31 | Ur | 165 | 176 | 177 | 172.70 ± 5.1 |
32 | Sader City | 135 | 138 | 145 | 139.30 ± 3.8 |
33 | Habibiya | 147 | 157 | 171 | 158.30 ± 8.4 |
34 | Zayona | 111 | 112 | 122 | 115.00 ± 4.7 |
35 | Waziriya | 95 | 100 | 109 | 101.30 ± 5.1 |
36 | Bayaa | 88 | 95 | 117 | 100.00 ± 11 |
37 | Sumer | 76 | 81 | 92 | 83.00 ± 6 |
38 | Shurta | 59 | 67 | 73 | 66.33 ± 4.9 |
39 | Hosseinia | 92 | 105 | 116 | 104.30 ± 8.2 |
40 | Maghrib | 79 | 86 | 97 | 87.33 ± 6.4 |
41 | Baghdad AL-Jadeeda | 122 | 130 | 133 | 128.30 ± 4.2 |
42 | Madain | 153 | 156 | 162 | 157.00 ± 3.3 |
43 | Taji | 176 | 182 | 184 | 180.70 ± 3.1 |
44 | Salaam | 153 | 161 | 170 | 161.30 ± 5.8 |
45 | Shula | 76 | 88 | 90 | 84.67 ± 5.8 |
46 | Wahda | 121 | 127 | 127 | 125.00 ± 2.7 |
47 | Saadoun | 157 | 159 | 162 | 159.30 ± 1.8 |
48 | Dora | 91 | 99 | 106 | 98.67 ± 5.1 |
49 | Aamiriya | 76 | 78 | 81 | 78.33 ± 1.8 |
50 | Qadisiya | 89 | 102 | 111 | 100.70 ± 7.8 |
Average | 113.66 ± 30.2 | ||||
Global limits | (200 - 300 Bq/m3) (ICRP, 2009) [ |
than the ranged (200 - 300 Bq/m3) recommended by (International Committee on Radiation Protection, ICRP in 2009).
The authors are thankful to the residents of the Baghdad governorate for their co-operation during the fieldwork.
Mahmood S. Karim,Hasan H. Daroysh,Ali N. Mohammed, (2016) Assessment of Indoor Radon Concentrations in Dwellings for Baghdad Governorate by Using RAD-7 Detector. Detection,04,40-44. doi: 10.4236/detection.2016.42006