INDOOR RADON (222RN) MEASUREMENTS AND ESTIMATION OF ANNUAL EFFECTIVE DOSE IN MVANGAN LOCALITY, SOUTH CAMEROON

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Radiological Protection
• Public Health

Background:

• Indoor radon exposure is a significant public health concern, contributing to lung cancer risk.
• Understanding regional radon activity concentrations is crucial for assessing potential health impacts and implementing control measures.
• Mvangan locality in South Cameroon has not been extensively studied for indoor radon levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure indoor radon activity concentrations in dwellings in Mvangan locality, South Cameroon.
• To assess the potential public health risks associated with indoor radon exposure in the region.
• To provide data for informing necessary control measures against indoor radon.

Main Methods:

• Utilized passive solid-state nuclear track detectors (RADONAVA Inc., RadTrak2) for measurements.
• Adhered to the ISO 11665-4 standard for radon concentration assessment.
• Calculated arithmetic and geometric means, annual effective doses, and cancer risk estimations.

Main Results:

• Indoor radon concentrations ranged from 36 ± 20 to 150 ± 30 Bq/m³, with means (64 ± 25 Bq/m³) exceeding UNSCEAR global averages.
• 96% of dwellings were below the WHO reference level (100 Bq/m³), while 4% were between 100-300 Bq/m³ (ICRP reference).
• Annual effective doses averaged 1.2 ± 0.5 mSv/y, below the ICRP action level, and no significant difference was found between dwelling types (cement vs. mud).

Conclusions:

• Indoor radon activity concentrations in Mvangan are higher than global averages but generally below recommended action levels.
• The population in Mvangan locality faces a relatively low potential risk of cancer incidence and mortality from indoor radon exposure.
• Further monitoring and targeted interventions may be considered for dwellings exceeding established reference levels.