Indoor radon concentrations and effective dose estimation in Al-Karkh side of Baghdad dwellings

Indoor radon concentrations, the annual effective dose rate and the annual equivalent dose rate to the lung and to the public were measured in the dwellings of 10 neighborhoods located on the west side of the river Tigris (Al-Karkh) in Baghdad city using passive dosimeters. CR-39 solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) technique was used for radon measurements. Ninety-one dosimeters were distributed in the dwellings of the study area, three dosimeters were planted in three rooms of each house depending on the usage of the room (bedroom, living or sitting room and kitchen). They were left for a period of 3 months during winter time from November 2013 to February 2014. Radon concentrations were found to range from 64.9 Bq.m(-3) to 94.7 Bq.m(-3) in Daoudi and Hayy Al-Jamiaa, respectively, with a mean value of 79.82 +/- 1.05 Bq.m(-3). The mean annual effective dose rate and the mean equivalent dose rate were found 2.00 +/- 0.04 mSv.y(-1) and 4.81 +/- 0.06 mSv.y(-1). The dwellers of Hayy Al-Jamiaa were found to be exposed annually to the highest equivalent dose rate of 5.74 mSv.y(-1). All measured values were lower than the international recommended value given by ICRP.