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Radon, thoron and their progeny concentration have been measured in dwellings located within a 90 km2 area around a nuclear power plant using solid-state nuclear track detectors. Time-integrated measurements were carried out on a four-month cycle, making three measurements in each dwelling throughout the year. In total, 145 dwellings were selected for the study. The measured values of gas and their progeny concentrations were used to determine the equilibrium factor for radon and thoron indoors and annual inhalation dose. The average value of the equilibrium factor indoors was found to be 0.44 ± 0.23 for radon and 0.015 ± 0.010 for thoron. The annual inhalation dose for the public living around this plant was found to be 0.97 ± 0.55 mSv. Results were analysed for different seasons and different categories of dwellings for their construction type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved radon (222Rn) in drinking water has been measured using SMART RnDuo, a continuous radon monitor. Water samples have been collected from hand pumps in surrounding regions of a Harduaganj thermal power plant (HTPP), Aligarh and Narora atomic power plant (NAPP), Bulandshahar situated in the Uttar Pradesh state of India. The 222Rn concentration ranges from 1.3 ± 0.3 to 17 ± 1 Bql−1 around HTPP, and from 2.4 ± 0.5 to 17 ± 1 Bql−1 around NAPP. The measured radon concentration in all collected samples lies well below the limit of 100 Bql−1as set by the World Health Organization. The total annual effective dose due to waterborne 222Rn inhalation and ingestion varies from 6 ± 1 to 88 ± 4 µSvy−1 around HTPP and from 6 ± 1 to 42 ± 3 µSvy−1 around NAPP. The total annual effective dose around both the plants is also well below the safe limit of 100 μSvy−1 recommended by the European Commission and World Health Organization. The radiation dose to the lungs, stomach, and liver are also calculated in the regions under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]