Indoor radon and thoron concentrations in some towns of central and South Serbia

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd This study presents the results of indoor radon and thoron activity concentrations of some municipalities in central and south part of Serbia: Krusevac, Brus, Blace and Kursumlija. Measurements were carried out in 60 dwellings during the winter season. Passive discriminative radon-thoron detectors known as UFO detectors were used. The mean values of indoor radon and thoron concentrations were 82 Bq m−3 and 42 Bq m−3, respectively. Population-weighted mean values were 76 Bq m−3 and 40 Bq m−3, respectively. 26.7% of dwellings had radon concentration higher than 100 Bq m−3 (one location had even more than 300 Bq m−3). There are no statistically significant correlations of indoor radon and thoron concentrations neither with the period of house construction, nor with the existence of a basement. The results of this study represent the first step of investigating radon and thoron levels in these parts of Serbia and therefore could be the basis for creating a radon map.