Measurement of indoor radon and thoron levels in dwellings and estimation of uranium, thorium and potassium in soil samples from central part of India

In the frame of nationwide survey project, measurement of indoor radon/thoron level has been carried out in 132 dwellings situated in 10 different towns/villages of centrally located states Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. LR 115 solid-state nuclear track detectors in plastic twin chamber dosimeter cups were used for the measurement. The measurements were carried out for a full year, divided into four quarters. The mean radon/thoron concentration at all the locations falls well below the range of active level recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection. The results of uranium, thorium and potassium estimation in soil samples belonging to these areas are also reported. Positive correlation has not been observed between indoor radon/thoron concentration and uranium/thorium content of the soil. It is concluded that the diffusion of radon from soil to dwelling is greatly affected by flooring material.