RADON MONITORING IN SELECTED KINDERGARTENS IN SLOVAKIA

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Radiological Protection

Background:

• Radon (Rn) is a naturally occurring radioactive gas.
• Indoor radon exposure is a significant public health concern, particularly for children.
• Kindergartens represent environments with potentially higher indoor radon levels due to prolonged occupancy by young children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess indoor radon concentrations in Slovakian kindergartens.
• To investigate the relationship between soil radon and indoor radon levels.
• To provide data for potential mitigation strategies and public health risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a year-long indoor radon survey in 17 kindergartens using track detectors.
• Performed continuous indoor radon monitoring for approximately two weeks in selected sites.
• Carried out soil radon concentration measurements in the vicinity of the kindergartens.

Main Results:

• Annual average indoor radon concentrations varied widely, from 75 to 1810 Bq m-3.
• Soil radon concentrations ranged from 13 to 320 kBq m-3.
• A clear linear relationship was observed between soil air radon and indoor radon activity concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Kindergarten environments in Slovakia exhibit a broad spectrum of indoor radon levels.
• Soil radon concentration is a significant predictor of indoor radon levels in these settings.
• Findings underscore the need for radon monitoring and potential remediation in educational facilities.