Assessment of radiological risk due to radioactive contamination in the air for different types of laboratories in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Background: The utilisation of radiation sources can increase radioactivity levels within radiation-applied laboratories, thereby affecting the health of individuals regularly working in such environments. This study aimed to assess the activity concentrations of radionuclides and dose rates across various research laboratories, including nuclear technique laboratories and others, in order to determine the effect of radiation sources on air quality. Materials and Methods: Dust particles in the air were collected and analysed using a low - background gamma spectrometer. The study was conducted in five distinct laboratories with varying frequencies of radioactive material usage. The differences in the activity concentrations of 40K, ²³²Th, ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra/²²²Rn, ²²⁸Th/²²⁰Rn, and ²¹⁰Po were compared between laboratories and with different periods of the month. To assess potential risks, the annual effective dose rate resulting from dust inhalation was estimated for two adult groups (male and female). Results: High activity levels were observed in lab 1 because of the presence of radioactive sources, standard samples, and diverse environmental samples. The radioactivity levels for various radioisotopes exhibited minimal changes between the weeks of the month. Lab 1 also recorded the highest estimated radiation dose with effective doses of 2300 µSv y^-1 and 1886 µSv y^-1 for men and women, respectively, surpassing the recommended ICRP value of 1 mSv y^-1. Conclusion: Assessment of the activity concentrations in airborne dust for different laboratory types showed that the health impacts of pollution are not significant. However, laboratories dealing with radioactive sources exhibited high radioactivity levels and should undergo frequent monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]