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This article highlights the relevance of indoor radon monitoring for occupational health protection, disease prevention, and compliance with safety regulations. Radon, a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas, is a leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking, and therefore in situ monitoring is fundamental to identify areas with high radon levels so that remediation measures must be implemented to reduce indoor exposure. The article gives an overview of the regulations in force in Portugal for indoor radon monitoring and identifies the responsibilities of different authorities and organizations in ensuring compliance with radiological protection requirements. It also outlines the legal framework for radon protection in Portugal, including the identification of reference levels for radon concentration in workplaces and dwellings, and the need to implement measures concerning indoor radon exposure reduction. Additionally, it is detailed the process of monitoring radon in indoor environments, including the selection of an appropriate measurement device and the necessary measurement time, and the need to inform and train workers about the risks associated with radon exposure. In short, this review provides information on the importance of radon monitoring and the measures required to ensure public safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the vertical distributions of organic carbon (OC) is crucial for predicting and simulating the influences of soil units on the terrestrial carbon cycle. The OC in the fine earth fraction was calculated for the soil units Anthrosols, Cambisols, Fluvisols, Leptosols, and Regosols in the municipality of Ponte de Lima, Portugal, at depths of 0–30 cm, 0–100 cm, 0–200 cm, and 0–2590 cm. In the study area, over 40% of the OC is concentrated in the Regosol unit, followed by the Anthrosols with over 23% OC at all depths, and the Leptosols with over 22% OC at all depths. The soil units Cambisols and Fluvisols have a lower representation in the territory, with values below 1.5% and 6.5% respectively at all depths. The obtained results contribute to assessing the potential of the soil units present in the municipality to sequester CO2, promoting the development of carbon inventories and analyzing the distribution of OC through accurate and reliable estimates of current C reserves as an essential tool for analyzing and modeling the effects of different factors involved in the potential of soil OC sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]