{"title":"Thoron exposure in the radon-thoron prone area of the Adamawa Region, Cameroon","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2024.111498","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The radon-prone area of the Adamawa region is characterized by high radon concentrations, where no low-risk area was observed. This study aims to investigate about indoor thoron concentration in this area, using RADUET detectors, thoron progeny monitors and DTPS/DRPS. The indoor thoron concentration ranged between 17 and 1000 Bq m<sup>−3</sup>, with an average of 131 Bq m<sup>−3</sup>. 36% of dwellings have thoron concentration less than 100 Bq m<sup>−3</sup> while 28% are above 300 Bq m<sup>−3</sup>. The thoron equilibrium factor of 0.04 was found to be two times higher than the globally assumed value. Thoron progeny contributes on average to 26% (1.9 mSv y<sup>−1</sup>) of the total inhalation dose. The excess lifetime cancer risk due to thoron progeny is about 5%. These results justify that thoron cannot be neglected when assessing radiation doses. As only radon is regulated, such study will contribute to accelerate the regulation on thoron.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969804324003269","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, INORGANIC & NUCLEAR","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The radon-prone area of the Adamawa region is characterized by high radon concentrations, where no low-risk area was observed. This study aims to investigate about indoor thoron concentration in this area, using RADUET detectors, thoron progeny monitors and DTPS/DRPS. The indoor thoron concentration ranged between 17 and 1000 Bq m−3, with an average of 131 Bq m−3. 36% of dwellings have thoron concentration less than 100 Bq m−3 while 28% are above 300 Bq m−3. The thoron equilibrium factor of 0.04 was found to be two times higher than the globally assumed value. Thoron progeny contributes on average to 26% (1.9 mSv y−1) of the total inhalation dose. The excess lifetime cancer risk due to thoron progeny is about 5%. These results justify that thoron cannot be neglected when assessing radiation doses. As only radon is regulated, such study will contribute to accelerate the regulation on thoron.
期刊介绍:
Applied Radiation and Isotopes provides a high quality medium for the publication of substantial, original and scientific and technological papers on the development and peaceful application of nuclear, radiation and radionuclide techniques in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, biology, medicine, security, engineering and in the earth, planetary and environmental sciences, all including dosimetry. Nuclear techniques are defined in the broadest sense and both experimental and theoretical papers are welcome. They include the development and use of α- and β-particles, X-rays and γ-rays, neutrons and other nuclear particles and radiations from all sources, including radionuclides, synchrotron sources, cyclotrons and reactors and from the natural environment.
The journal aims to publish papers with significance to an international audience, containing substantial novelty and scientific impact. The Editors reserve the rights to reject, with or without external review, papers that do not meet these criteria.
Papers dealing with radiation processing, i.e., where radiation is used to bring about a biological, chemical or physical change in a material, should be directed to our sister journal Radiation Physics and Chemistry.