Radon and thoron doses in kindergartens and elementary schools

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiological Protection
• Public Health

Background:

• Radon (Rn) and thoron (Tn) are naturally occurring radioactive gases.
• Elevated indoor concentrations pose health risks, particularly in educational settings.
• Understanding regional variations is crucial for targeted mitigation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure radon (Rn) and thoron (Tn) activity concentrations in Slovenian kindergartens and elementary schools.
• To assess diurnal variations of Rn and Tn.
• To estimate the effective dose from Rn and Tn exposure in these environments.

Main Methods:

• Solid-state nuclear track detectors (Raduet) were used for Rn-Tn measurements.
• A Rad7 device monitored diurnal variations of both gases.
• Concentrations and effective doses were calculated based on established protocols.

Main Results:

• Rn concentrations ranged from 70 to 794 Bq m⁻³ across facilities.
• Tn concentrations ranged from 4 to 91 Bq m⁻³.
• Monthly effective doses from Rn ranged from 21 to 600 μSv month⁻¹, and from Tn from 0.29 to 13.3 μSv month⁻¹.
• Thoron's contribution to the total effective dose varied from 0.4% to 17%.

Conclusions:

• Slovenian schools exhibit varying levels of Rn and Tn, necessitating further investigation.
• The contribution of Tn to the total effective dose is significant in some educational settings.
• Continuous monitoring and dose assessment are recommended for safeguarding children's health.