Inhalation dose due to radon and its progeny at Pune

Abstract

The radon and its progeny concentrations are measured near the surface of the earth at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, India. In-situ measurements of the meteorological parameters such as temperature and relative humidity are also made simultaneously. The concentrations show maxima in the early morning hours when the turbulence mixing is the minimum; whereas in the afternoon the turbulence mixing is the maximum and concentrations exhibit minima. The diurnal and seasonal variations in the concentrations of radon and its progeny are found to exhibit correlation with the relative humidity, and anti-correlation with the temperature. The annual effective dose for Pune environment is found to be 0.55 mSv which is within the permissible limit.