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This study summarizes the seasonal experimental data on the activity concentrations of indoor 222 Rn (Radon), 220 Rn (Thoron) and their progeny in Mansa and Muktsar districts of Punjab (India) using LR-115 solid state nuclear track detector based time integrated pin-hole cup dosimeters and deposition based progeny sensors for the assessment of radiological dose. The indoor 222 Rn concentration was observed higher in the rainy and winter seasons while 220 Rn concentration was observed higher in the winter season. However, Equilibrium Equivalent Concentrations (EECs) of 222 Rn and 220 Rn exhibited distinct seasonal behaviour unlike their parent nuclides. The average equilibrium factors for 222 Rn (F Rn ) and 220 Rn (F Tn ) were found 0.47 ± 0.1 and 0.05 ± 0.01, respectively. The annual arithmetic means of unattached fractions of 222 Rn ( ) and 220 Rn ( ) were found to be 0.09 ± 0.02 and 0.10 ± 0.02, respectively. The attachment rate ( X Rn ) and attachment rate coefficients ( β ) of 222 Rn progeny were also calculated to understand the proper behaviour of progeny species in the region. A new alpha flux based technique has been proposed and used for the assessment of absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate for radiation protection purpose.

A study was conducted to assess the concentration of uranium and dissolved radon in drinking water samples collected from Jalandhar district of Punjab, India. The samples were analysed for dissolved radon using scintillation cell method. Laser fluorimetry was used for measurement of uranium concentration. Correlation analysis of radon and uranium concentrations and salinity and total dissolved solids with uranium was carried out. The uranium concentration in water samples varied from a minimum value of 1.53 ± 0.06 mg m−3 to 50.2 ± 0.08 mg m−3 with a geometric mean value of 14.85 mg m−3. The radon concentration in water varied from a minimum value of 0.34 ± 0.07 kBq m−3 to a maximum value of 3.84 ± 0.48 kBq m−3 with a geometric mean value of 1.46 kBq m−3. Ingestion dose to local population, due to radon and uranium in drinking water, for different age categories, was computed and results are being reported in this paper.

The uranium concentration in the drinking water of the residents of the Jaipur and Ajmer districts of Rajasthan has been measured for exposure assessment. The daily intake of uranium from the drinking water for the residents of the study area is found to vary from 0.4 to 123.9 μg per day. For the average uranium ingestion rate of 35.2 μg per day for a long term exposure period of 60 years, estimations have been made for the retention of uranium in different body organs and its excretion with time using ICRP's biokinetic model of uranium. Radioactive and chemical toxicity of uranium has been reported and discussed in detail in the present manuscript.