Comparison of radon hazard to inhabitants of the Augustow Plane sandr and inhabitants of the Suwalki region of fluvioglacial sands and gravels

In the regions of two lithological units; the Augustow Plane sandr and the Suwalki sands and fluvioglacial gravels, 134 measurements of radon concentrations in dwelling houses were performed. An integral method of solid state nuclear trace detectors (SSNTD) was used in the studies. Statistically significant differences in the radon concentrations in both geological units were obtained. The radon concentration arithmetic mean was 197 Bq m-3, geometric mean - 119 Bq m-3, median - 111 Bq m-3, the maximal value being 1225 Bq m-3 in the region of the Suwalki fluvioglacial sands and gravels. The Augustow Plane sandr revealed arithmetic mean of radon concentration equal to 123 Bq m-3, geometric mean - 80 Bq m-3, and median equal to 67 Bq m-3, maximal value 695 Bq m-3. The annual effective dose of the radon obtained by inhabitants of the Augustow Plane sandr is 1.7 mSv and for inhabitants of the Suwalki fluvioglacial sands and gravels it is 2.5 mSv. (author)