Evaluation of radon gas concentration in the air of soil and dwellings of Hawar and Foara villages, using (CR-39) detectors

The present study has measured radon concentration in dwellings and soil of two villages of Hawar and Foara by using a passive dosimeter containing a solid-state nuclear track plastic detector commercially known as (CR-39). About 224 dosimeters were distributed inside houses of both villages. Additionally, 56 dosimeters were placed in the soil of each village at 50cm depth. Soil dosimeters were retrieved after 14 days while house dosimeters were retrieved after three months. The collected dosimeters were chemically etched and then counted using an optical microscope.The study found that indoor radon concentration in Hawar village ranged from 31.6±4.4Bqm-3 in the south area to 41.7±5Bqm-3 in the west area, and in Foara village, varied between 39.9±9Bqm-3 in the east area to 47.9±10.8Bqm-3 in the south area. Moreover, the indoor radon concentration in the living rooms at Hawar village was 33.2±2.2Bqm-3 which is almost the same as that in the guest rooms, 40.1±3.3Bqm-3, whereas the indoor radon concentration in living rooms at Foara was 36.6±7.5Bqm-3 and in the guest rooms was 50.8±5.4Bqm-3.The study indicated also that radon concentration in soil air at Hawar village was 3.7±0.2kBqm-3 and in Foara village was 4.3±0.9kBqm-3. The average indoor radon concentrations were comparable in both villages Hawar and Foara. Radon concentration in the study area is comparable to the national radon concentration.