Natural background gamma radiation levels in dwellings constructed under the Double Bedroom Housing Scheme at Erravalli and Narasannapet model villages of Telangana state, India

Abstract

Quantification of natural background gamma radiation levels in indoors has attracted mounting interest for the past few decades due to the detrimental effects of radiation. The indoor radiation levels depend on many parameters like geology, building materials, temperature, ventilation, etc. The natural background gamma radiation levels were estimated using a μR-Survey Meter in indoors and outdoors of dwellings constructed under the Double Bedroom Housing Scheme of Telangana state government at Erravalli and Narasannapet model villages. The average gamma radiation levels in the Erravalli village was found to be 2873 ± 413 μGyy−1, while in Narasannapet village it was 2621 ± 355 μGyy−1, which are relatively high as compared to the national average 775 ± 370 μGyy−1. The indoor to outdoor ratio of natural background radiation levels varied from 0.74 to 1.52 with an average of 1.08 which is in the global range. The variation of these levels with different types of dwellings has also been discussed.