Doses from radon progeny as a source of external beta and gamma radiation

• Published in: Radiation and environmental biophysics Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 391 - 397
• Main Authors: Markovic, V. M., Krstic, D., Nikezic, D., Stevanovic, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.11.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Air Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Beta Particles; Biological and Medical Physics; Biophysics; Bismuth - analysis; Ecosystems; Effects of Radiation/Radiation Protection; Environmental Physics; Female; Gamma Rays; Health risk assessment; Housing; Human exposure; Humans; Lead - analysis; Lungs; Male; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Original Paper; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Radiation; Radiation Dosage; Radioactivity; Radioisotopes - analysis; Radon; Radon - analysis; USA, Tennessee, Oak Ridge; Gamma; Radon; Dose; DCF; Beta
• ISSN: 0301-634X; 1432-2099
• DOI: 10.1007/s00411-012-0413-1

Great deal of work has been devoted to determine doses from alpha particles emitted by 222 Rn and its progeny. In contrast, contribution of beta particles and following gamma radiation to total dose has mostly been neglected so far. The present work describes a study of the detriment of 222 Rn progeny for humans due to external exposure. Doses and dose conversion factors (DCFs) were determined for beta and gamma radiation in main organs and remainder tissue of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory phantom, taking into account 222 Rn progeny 214 Pb and 214 Bi distributed in the middle of a standard or typical room with dimensions 4 m × 5 m × 2.8 m. The DCF was found to be 7.37 μSv/WLM. Skin and muscle tissue from remainder tissue receives largest dose. Beta and gamma radiation doses from external exposure were compared with alpha, beta, and gamma doses from internal exposure where the source of radioactivity was the lungs. Total doses received in all main organs and remainder tissues were obtained by summing up the doses from external and internal exposure and the corresponding DCF was found to be 20.67 μSv/WLM.