Indoor radon in dwellings of Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia and its correlations with the radium and radon exhalation rates from soil

Abstract

To assess the potential health risks associated with indoor radon, a study was carried out in 80 dwellings in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia using CR-39 plastic track detectors. The annual average indoor radon concentrations varied from 21 to 52 Bq m−3, with a mean value of 36 Bq m−3, which is well below the recommended action level recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The annual effective dose varied from 0.35 to 0.89 mSv y−1. The results showed no significant radiological risks for the inhabitants. The radium content, radon exhalation rate and the concentration of radon in soils samples were measured using the ‘Can Technique’. The radium concentrations in soil varied from 18.0 to 33.0 Bq kg−1. The radon exhalation rates in the samples varied from 4.58 to 8.40 Bq m−2 h−1 (135 to 251 mBq kg−1 h−1). There was a linear relationship between the indoor radon concentration and the radium concentration in the soil. A positive correlation was observed between the radon exhalation rate and soil radium concentration. Furthermore, changes in the ventilation rate had a significant effect on the indoor radon concentration.