Estimation of annual effective dose due to radon and thoron concentrations in mud dwellings of Mrima Hill, Kenya

Abstract

This study presents radon and thoron concentration measurements and the corresponding effective dose rates in mud dwellings located in the high background radiation area of Mrima Hill, Kenya. Discriminative technique was used for simultaneous measurement of radon and thoron. The effective dose was evaluated based on the concentration of the isotopes and the time spent indoors. Radon concentration ranged from 16 to 56 Bq m(-3) with an average of 35±14 Bq m(-3) and a corresponding annual effective dose of 0.67 mSv y(-1), while that of thoron ranged from 132 to 1295 Bq m(-3) with an average of 652±397 Bq m(-3) and an effective dose of 13.7 mSv y(-1).

Radon and Thoron; Radioactive Gases Lurking in Earthen Houses in Rural Kenya

“…Figure 1 shows the regions where the reviewed studies were carried out. The sampling areas fall within three administrative regions namely the Coast (14–16), Nairobi (Central) (17, 18) and Rift Valley (14). The Coast study was performed in two regions: Taita Taveta County (14) and Mrima Hill (15, 16).…”

“…The sampling areas fall within three administrative regions namely the Coast (14–16), Nairobi (Central) (17, 18) and Rift Valley (14). The Coast study was performed in two regions: Taita Taveta County (14) and Mrima Hill (15, 16). Taita Taveta is located about 150 km northwest of the port city of Mombasa and about 350 km southeast of the capital city Nairobi.…”

Radon and thoron radiation exposure of the Angolan population living in adobe houses

“…Studies made in adobe or similar building materials have much higher activity concentrations than Cabinda (162 ± 93 Bq m −3 ) and Menongue (92 ± 55 Bq m −3 ). However, values from Huambo (278 ± 13 Bq m −3 ) are still among the highest after Mirma Hill (Kenya; 652 Bq m −3 [31]) and Shanxi and Shaanxi (China; 351 Bq m −3 [34]).…”

Importance of Discriminative Measurement for Radon Isotopes and Its Utilization in the Environment and Lessons Learned from Using the RADUET Monitor

“…In Kenya, the concentration levels of radon and thoron were measured using 46 RADUETs in mud-walled, metallic-or iron sheet-walled and stone-walled non-traditional houses in the Kilimambogo region [44] and 20 RADUETs in traditional earthen dwellings in the Mrima Hill region [45,46]. The monitors were set in the dwellings for a three-month period at a distance of~0.…”