Estimation of Radiological Dose From Progeny of 222Rn and 220Rn Using DTPS/DRPS and Wire-Mesh-Capped Progeny Sensors.

Abstract

Radon (222Rn) and its decay products are the major sources of natural radiation exposure to general population. The activity concentrations of unattached and attached short-lived 222Rn and thoron (220Rn) progeny in indoor environment of some dwellings of the Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts of Punjab had been calculated using the deposition-based progeny sensors (DRPS/DTPS) and wire-mesh-capped (DRPS/DTPS) progeny sensors. The observed concentration of attached 222Rn and 220Rn progeny showed the variation from 5 to 21 Bq·m−3 and 0.3 to 1.7 Bq·m−3, respectively. The activity concentration of the unattached 222Rn and 220Rn progeny varies from 1 to 5 Bq·m−3 and 0.1 to 0.6 Bq·m−3, respectively. The average unattached fraction of 222Rn and 220Rn progeny is 0.2 and 0.1. The average value of the indoor aerosol concentration attachment rate of 222Rn and 220Rn progeny is 2251 cm−3, 24 ms−1, and 617 ms−1. Relation among the unattached fraction and attachment rate is established, and the obtained results of dose conversion factors show the significance of the nano-sized 222Rn decay products in 222Rn dosimetry.