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Radon in elementary schools in Tunisia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2010

S. Labidi ,
D. Al-Azmi ,
H. Mahjoubi  and
R. Ben Salah
S. Labidi
Affiliation:
Institut Supérieur des Technologies Médicales de Tunis (ISTMT), 9 avenue du docteur Z. Essafi, Tunis 1006, Tunisia. . e-mail: labidisalam@yahoo.fr
D. Al-Azmi
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Sciences, College of Technological Studies, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, PO Box 42325, 70654 Shuwaikh, Kuwait. ; e-mail: ds.alazmi@paaet.edu.kw / dalazmi@yahoo.co.uk
H. Mahjoubi
Affiliation:
Institut Supérieur des Technologies Médicales de Tunis (ISTMT), 9 avenue du docteur Z. Essafi, Tunis 1006, Tunisia. . e-mail: labidisalam@yahoo.fr
R. Ben Salah
Affiliation:
Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, 270 Sahloul II, 4054 Sousse, Tunisia.
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Abstract

Indoor radon measurements were carried out in 30 elementary schools in Tunis, the capitalcity of Tunisia, during the winter months of December 2008 to early March 2009. Twoclassrooms, one each from ground floor and first floor were chosen from each school makinga total of 60 classrooms. In some of the classrooms, two detectors (open and closed) wereused to measure the concentrations of radon as well as radon and its progeny to allow thecalculations of the equilibrium factors. Nuclear track detectors type LR-115 (Kodalpha)were used for the measurements. The results show that the radon concentration levels arelow in the range of 6–169 Bq m-3 with a mean value of 26.9 Bq m-3.The annual effective dose was found to vary between 0.025–0.715 mSv y-1 forteachers while the range for pupils was from 0.019–0.525 mSv y-1. These valuesare within the ICPR recommended values.

Keywords

radon measurementselementary schoolseffective doseequilibrium factorTunisTunisia
Type
Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 45 , Issue 2 , April 2010 , pp. 209 - 217
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2010

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