Indoor radon measurements in Erzurum province of Turkey

Abstract

Indoor radon measurements were carried out in dwellings in Erzurum province during the winter months of February 2012 to early April 2012 and the summer months of July 2012 to early September 2012. Nuclear track detector LR-115 was used for the measurements. According to the results of investigations, it was understood that the indoor radon concentration averages in dwellings are in the range of 11 ± 6 Bq m-3 - 380 ± 91 Bq m-3 in winter season and 8 ± 3 Bq m-3 - 356 ± 64 Bq m-3 in summer season. We found that the 222Rn effective dose values in the studied dwellings in winter season range from 0.278 to 9.59 mSv y-1. Also, the 222Rn effective dose values in the studied dwellings in summer season range from 0.202 to 8.98 mSv y-1. These values are within the ICPR recommended values. The radon activity has not been found to vary with seasonal changes, but also with the age, the construction mode of houses, the ventilation conditions and with specific sites and geological materials.