Indoor Radon Concentration and its Associated Health Effect in the Dwellings of Fiche Selale North Shewa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Radon is a natural radioactive gas without odor, color or taste. It founds in all rocks, soil, concrete and bricks. The measurements of ²²²Rn concentration in a total of 13 different dwellings in Fiche Selale were investigated. The concentrations were measured by alpha spectroscopy detection technique with Corentium digital radon detector. It was found that the overall average indoor radon concentration in the dwelling varies from 45.88 Bq/m³ to 266.59 Bq/m³, which is above the recommended action level. The average annual effective inhalation dose varied from 0.62 mSv/y to 2.4 mSv/y. The mean excess lung cancer risk estimated by this work was found to range from 0.87 % to 5.71 % within average value of 2.76%. The average of Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) is greater than with the estimated risk of 1.3 % (13 deaths in 1000 peoples) due to a radon exposure of 148 Bqm^–3 which is the action level of Environmental protection agency (EPA).

Keywords: indoor radon, inhalation dose, life fatality risk, Corentium radon detector, working level