for thermal water and in the range 0.11-38.8 Sv·y 1 for mineral water. Measurement of activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in the examined samples was carried out with a gamma-spectrometer with high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, having a relative effi ciency of 70%.

The results of the specific activities of232Th,226Ra and40K measured in samples of commonly used building materials in Bosnia and Herzegovina are presented. Measurements were performed by gamma-ray spectrometer with coaxial HPGe detector. The surface radon exhalation and mass exhalation rates for selected building materials were also measured. The determined values of specific activities were in range from 3.16±0.81 Bq kg−1to 64.79±6.16 Bq kg−1for232Th, from 2.46±0.95 Bq kg−1to 53.89 ±3.67 Bq kg−1for226Ra and from 28.44±7.28 Bq kg−1to 557.30±93.38 Bq kg−1for40K. The radium equivalent activity, the activity concentration index, the external and internal hazard indices as well as the absorbed dose rate in indoor air and the corresponding annual effective dose, due to gamma-ray emission from the radioactive nuclides in the building material, were evaluated in order to assess the radiation hazards for people. The measured specific activities of the natural radioactive nuclides in all investigated building materials were compared with the published results for building materials from other European countries. It can be noted that the results from this study are similar to the data for building materials from neighbouring countries and for building materials used in the EU Member States. The radiological hazard parameters of the building materials were all within the recommended limits for safety use.

The results of activity concentration measurements of natural occurring radioactive nuclides (238)U, (235)U, (232)Th, (226)Ra, and (40)K in surface soil samples collected in the area of cities Tuzla and Lukavac, northeast region of Bosnia and Herzegovina were presented. Soil sampling was conducted at the localities that are situated in the vicinity of industrial zones of these cities. The measured activity was in the range from (8 ± 4) to (95 ± 28) Bq kg(-1) for (238)U, from (0.41 ± 0.06) to (4.6 ± 0.7) Bq kg(-1) for (235)U, from (7 ± 1) to (66 ± 7) Bq kg(-1) for (232)Th, from (6 ± 1) to (55 ± 6) Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, and from (83 ± 12) to (546 ± 55) Bq kg(-1) for (40)K. In order to evaluate the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity for people living near industrial zones, the absorbed dose rate, the annual effective dose and the radium equivalent activity have been calculated and compared with the internationally approved values.

Radon is a unique natural element because it is an inert gas and at the same time radioactive in all of its isotopes. It is known fact that exposure of the population to high concentrations of radon gas leads to irradiation of primarily respiratory organs which can cause lung cancer. Radon is a subject of intense research around the world in order to, among other reasons, assess the risk of exposure and develop appropriate standards of protection and its control. By coal mining and exploitation, radioactive radon gas, which is captured in natural geological structures, is relocated from the deep coal layers. Hence, it is concentrated in the depots and coal seams of the mines or being transported to the surface of the earth where it can significantly change the levels of radioactivity in the working premises and residences. This chapter presents the results of a 3-year research of radon activity concentration and gamma dose rate in the air in underground and surface coal mines of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Radon is a natural radioactive gas which is colorless, tasteless and odorless. Using the water which contains bigger quantities of radioactive radon might cause cancer or other health problems. This paper presents the results of radon activity concentration in spas in area of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The obtained results of radon activity concentration in thermal test samples range within the interval of (254-4,715) mBq/L, which does not exceed recommended Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) value of 11.1 Bq/L in drinking water. The measurements of radon activity concentration are done with AlphaGUARD and AquaKIT equipment (Genitron Instruments-Frankfurt).