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Assessment of radon, thoron, and their progeny concentrations in the dwellings of Shivalik hills of Jammu and Kashmir, India

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Abstract

The present work determines the contents of active and passive indoor 222Rn, 220Rn, and their daughter in the 32 houses of the Reasi district of J&K, India. The passive 222Rn and 220Rn concentration was measured by dosimeters, whereas the active content was measured by active radon monitor. Progeny sensors and integrated samplers were operated for the evaluation of passive and active daughter contents of 222Rn and 220Rn. The measured averaged values of indoor 220Rn and 222Rn were 73 ± 40 and 22 ± 8 Bqm−3, respectively. The radon and thoron equilibrium factor has varied from 0.3 to 1.7 and from 0.006 to 0.6. The fine fraction of the above-mentioned gases was also calculated. The results of Mann–Whitney test statistically demonstrated significant differences between the content of indoor 222Rn, 220Rn, and their daughter for different seasons. The values of 222Rn, 220Rn, and their daughter content were appeared to be elevated in set of mud houses among all sets of houses. The values of all daughter concentration and indoor 222Rn were appeared to lie within the limit proposed by various agencies. The total doses were detected less than range commended by ICRP that suggested the district is safe as a health hazard point of view.

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Acknowledgements

Firstly, we would like to acknowledge the citizens of Reasi district, J&K, India, for their coordination throughout the time of research work. We indebted to DAV College, Amritsar and NIT, Jalandhar, for their inestimable subsistence to conduct the experimental work. This work was ostensibly supported by DAE-BRNS, Mumbai, with respect to a major research project (Project No. 2013/36/60-BRNS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, DAV College, Katra Sher Singh, Amritsar, Punjab, 143001, India

    Manpreet Kaur & Ajay Kumar

  2. Department of Physics, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144011, India

    Manpreet Kaur & Rohit Mehra

  3. Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400085, India

    Rosaline Mishra

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  1. Manpreet Kaur
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Correspondence to Ajay Kumar.

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Kaur, M., Kumar, A., Mehra, R. et al. Assessment of radon, thoron, and their progeny concentrations in the dwellings of Shivalik hills of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Environ Geochem Health 45, 5685–5701 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-020-00767-0

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