Informatics Publishing Limited

Asheesh Mishra ¹, R. Lokeswar Patnaik ², Vivekanand Jha ², Shailendra Kumar Sharma ³, Durga Charan Panigrahi ⁴, Akshaya Kumar Sarangi ⁵

Affiliations
1 Atomic Energy Central School, Jaduguda Mines, Jaduguda, East Singhbhum 832 102, IN
2 Environmental Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, IN
3 Department of Applied Physics, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad 826 004, IN
4 Department of Mining Engineering, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad 826 004, IN
5 Uranium Corporation of India Limited, Jaduguda, East Singhbhum 832 102, IN

Abstract

Seasonal variation of ²²²Rn levels was studied in the dwellings in U-Cu mineralized area of East Singhbhum, Jharkhand, India. Copper mining and processing industry is operational in this area for the last hundred years. Copper minerals of this region contain a significant fraction of uranium and the decay products. To measure the activity concentration of ²²²Rn, LR-115, type-II solid-state nuclear plastic track detector was used in an indigenously developed radon dosimeter cup. A higher value of ²²²Rn activity concentration was recorded in some of the dwellings in the mineralized zone. The results at different locations adjoining the facilities show that the ²²²Rn activity concentration varies to a great extent following an approximate log-normal distribution. The observed range varied from 29.1 and 314.6 Bq m^-3 with an overall geometric mean of 72.3 Bq m^-3 and geometric standard deviation 1.67. Further, in poorly ventilated dwellings ²²²Rn levels were higher compared to the properly ventilated houses. The peak activity concentration of ²²²Rn was recorded during winter (December-February). Appreciably lower activity concentration of radon was observed during summer and rainy seasons. The results reflect that the levels are higher than the global average indoor activity concentration of 40 Bq m^-3 (UNSCEAR-1993) for ²²²Rn, but are comparable to the studies carried out in similar types of geological formations.

Keywords

Copper Mining, Dwelling Ventilation, Radon Distribution, Seasonal Variations.

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