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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Radiation and Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1443332
This article is part of the Research Topic Radon and Related Health Effects: From Exposure to Risk Assessment and Policies View all 3 articles

Utilization of radiometric data for mapping primary and secondary sources of gamma radiation and radon/thoron release potentials in Ireland

Provisionally accepted
Mirsina M. Aghdam Mirsina M. Aghdam Mark Kavanagh Mark Kavanagh Quentin Crowley Quentin Crowley *
  • Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: This paper presents a novel approach to predict and map radon and thoron levels. We developed separate radon and thoron prediction maps for Ireland and introduced a system for producing high-resolution 3D radiation maps which may be used for planning purposes in residential areas, recycling and demolishing waste depots, and quarries of building and construction material. Additionally, we highlight the critical need to monitor thoron alongside radon in indoor surveys, as thoron's shorter half-life and higher energy levels may pose a greater health risk.We utilized Tellus radiometric survey data and indoor radon measurement records to investigate the spatial correlation between elevated indoor radon activity and anomalies in radioelement concentrations. We also estimated the degree of thoron interference in indoor radon surveys conducted in Ireland using CR-39 detectors. Field and laboratory surveys were performed to produce high-resolution radiation maps for four Irish quarries and estimate the radon and thoron potential of these quarries.Results: Our initial findings suggest that thoron may be the primary health issue in some parts of Ireland, surpassing radon. For example, our map shows that the expected thoron potential in county Donegal is significantly higher than that for radon. Our radon and thoron exhalation tests on building material samples from four random quarries confirm this. We also estimate that over 20% of the elevated indoor radon activity recorded by the EPA using CR-39 detectors may be attributed to thoron-related sources.Conclusions: This study contributes to a better understanding of the prevalence and impact of radon and thoron in Ireland, helping to determine the main radiological health issue related to indoor air quality in the country. Thoron's impact on indoor air quality and health has been understudied in Ireland, necessitating more comprehensive studies and monitoring programs to accurately assess the prevalence and impact of both radon and thoron.

    Keywords: Radon, Thoron, drone surveys, Radiation map, Health

    Received: 03 Jun 2024; Accepted: 02 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Aghdam, Kavanagh and Crowley. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Quentin Crowley, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.