THE ONGOING STUDY ON INDOOR RADON LEVELS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Bildiriler > Özet Bildiri · 2023
Yazarlar: Gülse MASRUOĞLU, İlayda Sapmaz, Mutlu İÇHEDEF
1st International Congress on Solutions in Science (INSCORE), Türkiye, İzmir, Uluslararası, Sözlü Sunum, Özet Bildiri, 2023-2023, ss 68-69
Özet
<p>The intensive increase in population leads to the overcrowding of societies. The rise in confined spaces due to overcrowding results in hazardous situations. Enclosed spaces within buildings contain elements that impact air quality. These include excessive humidity, gases introduced into the environment through fuel combustion, gases released from construction materials and furniture, cleaning products, radon, insulation materials containing asbestos, and outdoor air pollution. Consequently, spending extended periods of time indoors in areas with pronounced population growth brings about significant dangers. One of these dangers is radon gas, which has become prevalent and poses a hidden risk, causing various serious illnesses when unknowingly inhaled in enclosed spaces.</p><p><br></p><p>Radon gas is among the most harmful gases that infiltrate buildings, presenting a peril. This colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas goes unnoticed by humans and permeates indoor spaces from the Earth's crust. Radon and its decay products are the primary sources of ionizing radiation exposure for humans. The results of indoor radon measurements in 40 classes of three primary schools in Bornova-İzmir, Türkiye are presented in this paper. The ongoing study was carried out with LR-115 solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The aim of the study is to measure indoor radon levels in schools, calculate the radiation dose (annual effective dose) for students, teachers, and staff members spending time in these schools, and compare the obtained data against international reference values.</p><p>The significance of the project lies in its potential to benefit other schools and other research endeavors. This study is supported by the TÜBİTAK 2209A University Students Research Projects Support Program.</p><p><br></p><p>Keywords: Radon, Annual effective dose, Indoor radon, LR-115, SSNTDs, primary schools</p>