?MEASUREMENT OF RADON CONCENTRATION LEVELS IN OLD BUILDINGS OF LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Radon concentration was measured in old buildings of Lahore, Pakistan having ages between 66-321 years by using CN-
85, nuclear track detectors. The maximum value of radon concentration is found to be 69.4 Bq m·3 in General Gallery of
.Lahore Museum, while in the Officers' rooms of GPO, Lahore, it is minimum i. e. 20 Bq m' which may be attributed to the
use of paints in these rooms. Other factors which influence radon concentration are the ventilation condition of the old
buildings and the radon emanation from the building materials and articles inside the buildings.
The internal doses in terms of effective dose equivalent (mSv Y")due to potential alpha energy concentration (WLM) from
radon progeny has also been estimated. The estimated effective dose equivalent tobronchial tissue has been found very much
below to that of ICRP limit of 20 mSv y., to limit the probability of lung cancer.