Population doses from radon decay products in Ireland

Within the framework of the Radiation Protection Research Program of the European Communities a study of natural radiation doses to the Irish population is being carried out. Particular emphasis is being placed on the radiation doses arising from airborne radon decay products in the air of homes. For the homes surveyed to date the estimated annual effective dose equivalent from this source ranged from less than 0.1 mSv to as high as 20 mSv in some homes with the survey median value at approximately 1 mSv. Detection techniques, methodology and implications of the study are described