Measurement of indoor radon levels in North West Frontier Province and federally administered tribal areas—Pakistan during summer

Abstract

Indoor radon level measurement survey has been performed in several districts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and federally administered tribal areas (FATA), Pakistan. These include Swabi, Mardan and Charsadda Districts of NWFP and Mohmand and Bajuar Agencies of FATA. CR-39-based National Radiological Protection Board, UK-type radon dosimeters were used in this study. The dosimeters were installed in bedrooms and drawing rooms of a total of 200 carefully selected houses and were exposed to radon and its daughters for three months. In bedrooms, maximum radon concentration of ∼ 323 ± 5 Bq m - 3 was found in District Charsadda and minimum value of ∼ 13 ± 6 Bq m - 3 was found in the District Swabi. Like bedrooms, maximum radon concentration level in drawing rooms ( 281 ± 5 Bq m - 3 ) was also found in District Charsadda. Minimum level of indoor radon concentration of 21 ± 8 Bq m - 3 was found in a drawing room of District Mardan. According to the weighted average minimum indoor radon of ∼ 25 ± 7 Bq m - 3 was measured in Mardan and maximum of ∼ 210 ± 5 Bq m - 3 was measured in Charsadda District.