Environmental health risks of radon exposure inside selected building factories in Erbil city, Iraq

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this research is to determine the environmental health concerns associated with radon gas accumulation and compare quantities in various kinds of construction factories in Erbil city. For this purpose, 52 dosimeters were deployed throughout 13 industries by using CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD). These tests were conducted out in factories over a 60-day exposure period. The results show that the radon concentration values ranged from (21 to 190) $\mathrm{B}\mathrm{q}.{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$, with an average of (86.36 ± 9) $\mathrm{B}\mathrm{q}.{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$, different from the studied samples, red brick samples show radon concentration over the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended value of 148 $\mathrm{B}\mathrm{q}.{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$. The mean value of the annual effective dose was found to be (2.179 ± 1) $\mathrm{m}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{v}.{\mathrm{y}}^{-1}$ below and within the range of the reference level of (3–10) $\mathrm{m}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{v}.{\mathrm{y}}^{-1}$ of ICRP. The average annual lung cancer rate per 10⁶ people was shown to be (94.125). The dose rate to lungs (D_Lungs) varied from (1.07 to 7.11) $\mathrm{n}\mathrm{G}\mathrm{y}.{\mathrm{h}}^{-1}$, with an average value of (3.454) $\mathrm{n}\mathrm{G}\mathrm{y}.{\mathrm{h}}^{-1}$. The annual effective dose equivalent for lung $\left(\mathrm{A}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{D}{\mathrm{E}}_{\left(\mathrm{l}\mathrm{u}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{g}\right)}\right)$ to tracheobronchial $\left(\mathrm{A}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{D}{\mathrm{E}}_{\left(\mathrm{T}-\mathrm{B}\right)}\right)$ and pulmonary/ pulmonary lymph region $\left(\mathrm{A}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{D}{\mathrm{E}}_{\left(\mathrm{P}+\mathrm{P}\mathrm{L}\right)}\right)$, varies from (1.62 to 10.76), with an average value of (5.23) $\mathrm{m}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{v}.{\mathrm{y}}^{-1}$ and from (0.81 to 5.38) $\mathrm{m}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{v}.{\mathrm{y}}^{-1}$, with an average value of (2.615) $\mathrm{m}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{v}.{\mathrm{y}}^{-1}$, respectively. The present results revealed the need for radon monitoring measurements because worker exposure in some factories can exceed permitted levels. Finally, owners should improve the factories ventilation systems to avoid the accumulation of ²²²Rn and its progeny.

KEYWORDS:

• Indoor radon
• CR-39
• effective doses
• cancer risk
• workplace

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).