title: Theoretical modeling of indoor radon concentration and its validation through measurements in South-East Haryana, India.
abstract: A three dimensional semi-empirical model deduced from the existing 1-D model has been used to predict indoor radon concentration with theoretical calculations. Since the major contributor of radon concentration in indoors originates from building materials used in construction of walls and floor which are mostly derived from soil. In this study different building materials have been analyzed for radon exhalation, diffusion length along with physical dimensions of observation area to calculate indoor radon concentration. Also calculated values have been validated by comparing with experimental measurements. The study has been carried out in the mud, brick and cement houses constructed from materials available locally in South-East region of Haryana. This region is also known for its protruding land structure consisting volcanic, felsite and granitic rocks in plane. Further, exhalation (Jw) ratio from wall and floor comparison has been plotted for each selected village dwelling to identify the high radon emanating source (building material) from the study region. All those measured factors might be useful in building construction code development and selection of material to be used in construction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab 143005, India. Electronic address: prabhjotphy@live.com.
authors.forename: Prabhjot
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab 143005, India.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Bajwa
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D003252:Construction Materials; D004058:Diffusion; D007194:India; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D012987:Soil; D011886:Radon
keywords: Indoor radon concentrations; Pin hole cup dosimeter; Radon diffusion length; Radon exhalation rates