URANIUM IN SOIL AND GAMMA DOSE RATE AS PROXIES FOR THE INDOOR RADON RISK: SITUATION IN BELGIUM.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geology
• Radiological Protection

Background:

• Radon risk maps typically rely on indoor radon levels or soil gas measurements.
• When data is scarce, soil uranium (U) concentration or terrestrial gamma dose rate (TGDR) have been proposed as potential proxies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between airborne soil U measurements and indoor radon levels.
• To assess the relationship between airborne U, TGDR, and areas affected by radon.
• To evaluate the suitability of soil U and TGDR as proxies for radon risk mapping in Belgium.

Main Methods:

• Airborne measurements of soil uranium (U).
• Comparison of U levels with indoor radon data and affected areas.
• Assessment of the correlation between airborne U and terrestrial gamma dose rate (TGDR).

Main Results:

• No clear correlation was found between airborne U levels and radon-affected areas; high-risk zones did not consistently show higher U concentrations.
• A moderately affected area (Condroz) showed a link to higher U levels, associated with specific anomalies.
• TGDR correlated well with airborne U but its relationship with radon risk was less evident.

Conclusions:

• Soil uranium and TGDR are not effective proxies for predicting radon-affected areas in Belgium.
• These measurements may help exclude areas with very low U and TGDR, indicating low indoor radon risk.
• Further research is needed to identify reliable proxies for comprehensive radon risk assessment.