Radon Exhalation Rate from Building Materials Using CR-39 Nuclear Track Detector

Abstract

Humans are exposed to radiological hazards from natural radiation sources that exist mainly in the earth’s crust. Radon is a noble gas and is formed by the decay of ²²⁶Ra, which is one of the nuclides formed in the disintegration series from ²³⁸U. Building materials are considered as one of the major sources of radon in the indoor environment. Radon is one of the indoor sources that cause radiological health risk.

To study radon exhalation rate, samples of sand, gravel, stone, cement, granite, marble, ashlar, ceramic tile and bricks were collected from Manisa and Izmir provinces of Turkey. The radon exhalation rates (in terms of mass and surface area) for these materials were also calculated by using solid-state nuclear track detector (CR-39). The mass and surface exhalation rates are calculated by following the radon activity growth as a function of time. These values were also compared with literature values.