EXPOSURE LEVELS OF UKRAINIAN POPULATION IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE INDOOR RADON LEVELS.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze and evaluate the available information to indoor radon concentration in the context of theimplementation of the radon action plan.

OBJECT OF STUDY

indoor radon-222 in dwellings by area and corresponding radiation risks of the population. Measurements were performed using passive track radonometry. The exposure time of the radonometers is atleast 30 days during heating season. Radiation risk calculations were performed according to the dose coefficientsand mathematical models of the ICRP.

RESULTS

It was found that for the whole country, reference level 300 Bq/m3 (radon gas) is exceeded in 16 % ofcases. It was found that geometric mean of radon gas levels was 120 Bq/m3 and varies from 35 to 265 Bq/m3 bydifferent area, namely the difference between radon levels in different territories of the country can be up to 7.5times. Variability of radon levels at the district level is also significant. It was found, radon activity concentrationdiffering by almost 10 times by districts with lognormal distribution and a geometric mean of 75 Bq/m3. The analy-sis of radiation risks of the population has established that estimated annual number of lung cancer deaths due toradon in Ukraine is almost 8,900 cases; and а direct economic loss for the country are estimated at more than $450 million a year.

CONCLUSIONS

Surveys of radon levels demonstrated significant variation in radon concentrations between different regions. For the whole country, reference level (300 Bq/m3) is exceeded on above 16 % of the dwellings, butpercentage of exceeding varies from 0.1 to 43.0 % by different area. Information on indoor radon concentrationsin almost a third of the country is non-available. For an effective implementation of the Action plan, it makes sense to introduce radon risk mapping.