The areas pertaining the hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon in the Attock district of Pakistan were selected for the measurement of indoor radon concentration. This area was not previously surveyed for such kind of study. CR-39-based NRPB radon dosimeters were utilized for this study. Attock city, Hassan Abdal and Jand belong to the non-hydrocarbon areas, where radon concentration was measured to be 57 ± 11, 58 ± 11 and 56 ± 11 Bq m−3, respectively. The hydrocarbon pertaining areas consist of Toot and Meyal villages, the concentration of radon was found to be 48 ± 10 and 37 ± 8 Bq m−3, respectively. The cap rock in the geological structures of the hydrocarbon areas may have restricted the migration of underneath radon. The annual effective dose in the studied locations was estimated to be 1.28 ± 0.25 mSv y−1, which is less than the action level recommended by the ICRP. Estimated excess lung cancer risks per million persons per year in the surveyed area show higher values 96, 69, 32–110 and 41–124 as compared to the world average reported by the BEIR-IV (1988), ICRP (1987), US-EPA (1986) and UNSCEAR (1993) models, respectively. Present results could be used as a reference for any future studies in Pakistan for the problems of radon emissions with respect to the types of rocks.
US-EPA (United States-Environmental Protection Agency). A citizen’s guide to radon: the guide to protecting yourself and your family from radon, http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html (accessed 18 October 2014).
2.
UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation). Sources and effects of ionizing radiation. Vienna: United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Report to the General Assembly, with Scientific Annexes, 2000.
3.
BEIR-VI (Committee on the biological effects of ionizing radiations, board of radiation effects research, Committee on Life Sciences). Health effects of exposure to radon. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1999, p.516.
4.
WilliamFRSteckDJSmithJBrusCPFisherLNeuberserJSPlatzCPRobinsonRAWoolsonRFLynchCF. Residential radon gas exposure and lung cancer. Am J Epidemiol2000; 151: 1091–1102.
5.
FanKKuoTHanYChenCLinCLeeC. Radon distribution in a gasoline-contaminated aquifer. Radiat Meas2007; 42: 479–485.
6.
KülahcıFŞenZ. On the correction of spatial and statistical uncertainties in systematic measurements of 222Rn for earthquake prediction. Surv Geophys2014; 35: 449–478.
7.
GuYJSacchiM. Radon transform methods and their applications in mapping mantle reflectivity structure. Surv Geophys2009; 30: 327–354.
8.
TrippRM. Analytical and experimental data concerning a solid hydrocarbon survey of the Fort Collins anticline. Geophysics1994; 9: 367–387.
9.
KhattakNUKhanMAAliNAbbasSM. Radon monitoring for geological exploration: a review. J Himal Earth Sci2011; 44: 91–102.
10.
Sumi L. Shale gas: focus on the Marcellus shale. Washington, DC: Oil & Gas Accountability Project, A program of Earth Works. OGAP/Earth Works, 2008, www.earthworksaction.org.
11.
Donovan TJ and Dalziel MC. Late diagenetic indicators of buried oil and gas. United States Geological Survey, Open file Report, 1977, pp.77–817.
12.
FleischerRLTurnerLG. Correlations of radon and carbon isotopic measurements with petroleum and natural gas at Cement, Oklahoma. Geophysics1984; 49: 810–817.
13.
Kadri IB. Petroleum geology of Pakistan. Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL). Karachi, ACC. No.: 6349. Pakistan: National Library of Earth Sciences, NCE in Geology, University of Peshawar, 1995.
14.
SiegelFRChenRVazJEMathurVK. The integrated radiation environment at well sites-an adjunct to petroleum exploration. Oil Gas J1997; 95: 91–95.
15.
Khan MA. Radon based geo-environmental investigation of Karak trough and its adjoining areas, district Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. MSc dissertation. National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, 2013.
16.
ZhongjunSBingqiuZGuangtongDHuiYWangWWHaishengL. Integrated radiometric prospecting for petroleum in the Kailu Basin, Inner Mongolia. China J Geochem Explor1995; 55: 275–282.
17.
ZuhuiLYujinWDonorongCYouminoLAuunXPuxingY. Prospecting oil and gas deposits with CR-39 detectors. Nucl Tracks Rad Meas1993; 22: 387–392.
18.
BartlettDTGilvinPJStillRDixonDWMilesJCH. The NRPB radon personal dosimetry service. J Radiol Prot1988; 8: 19–24.
19.
WarwickPDWardlawBR. Regional studies of the Potwar plateau area, northern Pakistan, Bulletin-2078. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey, 2007.
20.
Faisal S. A comparative study of the structural styles in the eastern Kala Chitta range (Fateh Jang Hassan Abdal Transect) Potwar Plateau Northern Pakistan. MSc dissertation. National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of the Peshawar, Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, 2005.
21.
IqbalMBannertD. Structural observations of the Margala hills, Pakistan and the nature of the Main Boundary Thrust. Pak J Hydrocarb Res1998; 10: 41–53.
22.
ZaidiSNABrohiIARamzanKAhmedNMehmoodFBrohiAU. Distribution and hydrocarbon potential of Datta sands in Upper Indus Basin, Pakistan. Sindh Univ Res J2013; 45: 325–332.
23.
KhwajaAAMonaLisa. Seismic hazard assessment of Peshawar basin using probabilistic approach. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar2002; 35: 103–112.
24.
KazmiAHJanMQ. Geology and tectonics of Pakistan, Karachi: Graphic Publishers, 1997, pp. 94–139.
25.
RiazMHyllandMDAhmedSGhauriAAK. Structure and stratigraphy of the northern Gandghar range, Hazara, Pakistan. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar1991; 24: 71–84.
26.
HyllandMD. Geology of the southern Gandghar range and Kherimar hills, northern Pakistan, MS dissertation: Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA, 1990.
27.
WarwickPD. Overview of the geography, geology, and structure of the Potwar Regional Framework Assessment Project Study Area, Northern Pakistan, Bulletin 2078–A. Reston, VA: U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Geological Survey, 2007.
MoghalMASaqiMIHameedABugtiMN. Sub-surface geometry of Potwar sub-basin in relation to structuration and entrapment. Pak J Hydrocarb Res2007; 17: 61–72.
MilesJCHAppletonJD. Mapping variation in radon potential both between and within geological units. J Radiol Prot2005; 25: 257–276.
32.
FaheemMMatiNMatiullah. Seasonal variation in indoor radon concentrations in dwellings in six districts of the Punjab province. Pakistan J Radiol Prot2007; 27: 493–500.
33.
Castron O and Annanmäki M. Luonnonsäteily. In: Toivonen H, Rytömaa T and Vuorinen A (eds) Säteily ja turvallisuus. Helsinki: The Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, Valtion painatuskeskus, 1988, pp. 197–222.
34.
Ruosteenoja E. Indoor radon and risk of lung cancer: an epidemiological study in Finland. Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, Academic dissertation presented at Medical Faculty of the University of Tampere, 1991, p. 16.
35.
MatiullahAhadARehmanSMirzaML. Indoor radon levels and lung cancer risk estimates in seven cities of the Bahawalpur division, Pakistan. Radiat Protect Dosim2003; 107: 269–276.
36.
UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation). Report to the General Assembly, New York: United Nations, 1988, 1993.
37.
BEIR-IV (Committee on Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation). Health risks from radon and other internationally deposited alpha emitters, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1988.
38.
ICRP. Lung cancer risk from indoor exposure to radon daughters. ICRP Publication 50. Ann ICRP1987; 17: 1–1.
39.
US-EPA. Radon reduction methods: a homeowner’s guide. US EPA Report EPA-86–005. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency, 1986.
40.
NCRP. Evaluation of occupational and environmental exposure to radon and radon daughters in United States. NCRP Report No. 78. Washington, DC: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, 1984.
41.
HyllandMDRiazMAhmadS. Stratigraphy and structure of the southern Gandghar range, Pakistan. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar1988; 21: 1–14.
42.
HussainAYeatsRPogueK. Stratigraphy and structural events around the southern margin of Peshawar basin, Pakistan. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar1989; 22: 45–54.
43.
Al-JarallahMIRehmanF. Anomalous indoor radon concentration in a dwelling in Qatif city, Saudi Arabia. Radiat Prot Dosim2005; 117: 408–413.
44.
BemHDománskiTBakirYYAlzenkiS. Radon survey in Kuwait houses. Proc Int Congress Radiat Prot1996; 2: 101–103.
45.
KhanMAHChowdhuryMS. Radon measurements in some areas in Bangladesh. Radiat Meas2008; 43: S410–S413.
46.
RahmanSUMalikFMatiullahNasirTAnwarJ. Monitoring of indoor radon levels around an oil refinery using CR-39-based radon detectors. Indoor Built Environ2012; 21: 452–457.
47.
US-EPA. Proposed EPA methodology for assessing risks from indoor radon based on BEAR-IV, Washington, DC: Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, United-States Environmental Protection Agency, 1999.
