Field experience of indoor thoron gas measurements in a stable rural community in Yugoslavia

Attempts were made in Yugoslavia to identify rural populations receiving an elevated natural radiation exposure that might be a potential cohort for a planned future health study. In Gornja Stubla at Kosovo in southern Yugoslavia many houses are built mainly from local rock of trachyte which has a uranium content of the order of 25g/t, Th of 61 g/t and K-40 of 5.4%. Thoron and radon gas measurements were carried out in 49 locations in 23 houses in this rural community. Taking into account the short half-life of thoron passive alpha track dual radon-thoron detectors were placed within 10-20 cm from the walls, which were considered the potential source of thoron. Thoron concentrations were found to be extremely high in Gornja Stubla with a maximum measured value of 1,156 Bq/m-3. Using another type of passive radon detector, designed by SSI/NRPB, annual indoor radon concentrations were measured. The highest indoor radon concentration of 9,591 Bq/m-3 was found in the same house, which had the highest thoron concentration. The absorbed dose rate in air, due to external penetrating radiation was also measured and the highest value found in Gornja Stubla was 430 nGy h-1. Although high thoron concentrations were recorded it should be pointed out that due to its short half life large differences in thoron concentrations are to be expected as a function of the distance of the measuring point to the source. In addition, with the absence of information on thoron progeny concentration it is impossible to make any estimate of doses from the thoron series since the equilibrium factor between thoron and its progeny can vary greatly with time as well as location. However, the thoron measurements that have been performed in Gornja Stubla clearly indicate that the inhabitants there receive an elevated exposure not only from indoor radon and penetrating radiation but also from thoron. (author)