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Excessive radon-based radiation in indoor air caused by soil building materials in traditional homes on Đồng Văn karst plateau, northern Vietnam

Journal Article · · Chemosphere
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [3];  [3];  [6]
  1. Vietnam National Univ., Hanoi (Viet Nam). Univ. of Science. Faculty of Geology; Vietnam National Univ., Hanoi (Viet Nam). EOS Geoscience Research Group; Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)
  2. Vietnam National Univ., Hanoi (Viet Nam). Univ. of Science. Faculty of Geology
  3. Vietnam National Univ., Hanoi (Viet Nam). Univ. of Science. Faculty of Geology; Vietnam National Univ., Hanoi (Viet Nam). EOS Geoscience Research Group
  4. SARAD GmbH, Dresden (Germany)
  5. Univ. of Bremen (Germany)
  6. Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States). Dept. of Earth and Atomospheric Sciences
+ Show Author Affiliations

Radon-based radiation from natural soil building materials is an important factor likely influencing residents’ health as a contributing source of natural radiation. This work aims to quantify the nuclide-specific α-radiation of isotopes 222Rn and 220Rn in common types of houses in a region of northern Vietnam, Ɖông Văn karst plateau, to preliminarily (i) evaluate the total annual effective dose rates and (ii) assess the relative risk of cancer induction from indoor α-radiation for inhabitants. The average 222Rn concentrations in all house types were lower than 100 Bq m-3, but 220Rn abundances were far higher than 222Rn, even up to >1000 Bq m-3 in air close to a wall of unfired-soil bricks. The estimated total annual effective dose rates from indoor 222Rn and 220Rn and their progenies to residents with daily exposure of 13 h in the various types of houses range from 3.1 to 4.3 mSv a-1 for houses constructed with modified materials, but up to higher than 6 mSv a-1 in houses with raw building materials. The average risk of developing lung cancer as a consequence of a lifetime exposure to indoor α-radiation in affected homes ranges from 3.9% to 14.6%. 220Rn and its metallic progenies contribute more than 80% of the total average lung cancer risk from total radon, being responsible for a range of 2.7–14.6% of the risk of developing lung cancer.

Research Organization:
Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division; Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0006978
OSTI ID:
1850974
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1631406
Journal Information:
Chemosphere, Journal Name: Chemosphere Journal Issue: C Vol. 257; ISSN 0045-6535
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
220Rn
222Rn
Environmental sciences & ecology
Lung cancer risk
Radiation
RadonThoron