Indoor and outdoor gamma-ray studies in an urban environment in Poland

A survey of indoor and outdoor terrestrial gamma-ray fields in an urban environment of five administrative provinces in Southern Poland was performed. By means of TL and ionization chamber techniques 1051 dwelling-houses made of various building materials as well as 585 points outdoors over different beddings were monitored. Indoor and outdoor provincial average weighted air absorbed gamma dose was found to be 70% and 80% higher than the corresponding world averages. The average weighted data obtained indoors were higher by c. 4% to 50% than the corresponding values outdoors. Gamma radiation in red brick and gravel-sand prefabricated (GSP) element houses as well as that over asphalt and GSP coverings outdoors have the strongest influence on the radiation status quo in an urban environment of all provinces studied