Measurement of Radon Concentration in Dwellings in the Region of Highest Lung Cancer Incidence in India

Abstract

Indoor radon/thoron concentration has been measured in Aizawl district, Mizoram, India, which has the highest lung cancer incidence rates among males and females in India. Simultaneously, radon flux emanated from the surrounding soil of the dwellings was observed in selected places. The annual average value of concentration of radon(thoron) of Aizawl district is 48.8(22.65) Bq m with a geometric standard deviation of 1.25(1.58). Measured radon flux from the soil has an average value of 22.6 mBq m s These results were found to be much below the harmful effect or action level as indicated by the World Health Organisation. On the other hand, food habit and high-level consumption of tobacco and its products in the district have been found to increase the risk of lung cancer incidence in the district.

Estimation of 238U and 232Th in soil and water of prominent fault region of Mizoram

“…Again when compared to that of the critical value set by IAEA [45] (1,000 Bqkg -1 ) no radiological hazards from 238 U and 232 Th were observed in the region. The obtained result was in close agreement with the previous studies [40][41][42] of the region and some recent reports from southern India [13,35] where no radiological risk due to radon and thoron were observed. It also confirmed that radon and thoron data of fault and non-fault areas were in close agreement in the present study region.…”

“…The precautions taken seem to be effective as no strong correlation was observed between radon and meteorological factors. A few literatures [40][41][42] based on passive mode sampling were available from the northern and southern part of the state but none in the central region especially from a fault line. Besides the data were in-situ online and represent the real-time nature of radon which the passive method was incapable of.…”