Assessment of external dose indoors in Lithuania

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Radiation Physics
• Building Science

Background:

• Indoor radiation exposure is a significant contributor to public health.
• Construction materials can influence indoor radiation levels through natural radionuclide content.
• Radon gas concentration is a known factor affecting indoor radiation dose.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess external radiation exposure indoors in Lithuanian living houses.
• To investigate the dependence of indoor radiation on construction materials and radon concentrations.
• To estimate the mean effective dose for the Lithuanian population from indoor external exposure.

Main Methods:

• Measurements of absorbed dose rate in air indoors were conducted in over 4700 rooms between 1995 and 2005.
• The relationship between dose rate and activity indexes of common construction materials (wood, concrete, bricks) was analyzed.
• Potential correlations between indoor dose rate and indoor radon concentrations were explored.

Main Results:

• The mean effective dose from external exposure indoors for the Lithuanian population was determined to be 0.58 mSv/year.
• Significant relationships were observed between indoor dose rates and the activity indexes of construction materials.
• The study discussed the influence of indoor radon concentrations on the overall dose rate.

Conclusions:

• The mean effective dose from indoor external exposure in Lithuania is 0.58 mSv/year.
• Construction materials play a crucial role in determining indoor radiation exposure levels.
• The findings can aid in improving personal dosimetric measurements in various building environments.