Radiation in the environment

In this brochure a general survey is presented of the SAWORA (Dutch abbrevation for 'Radiation aspects of dwelling-hygiene and related radio-ecological problems') research-program and its results. In this program emphasis lay upon indoor radiation burden. Therewith a distinction has to be made between external and internal radiation burden of men. In this context the external burden is accounted for by gamma radiation while the internal burden depends predominantly upon the concentration of radon in the air and radioactive materials in the body. After a short explanation of the concept of radiation in ch. 2, attention is devoted to gamma radiation and radon concentration in the open air in ch. 3, furthermore the radionuclide concentrations of the Dutch soil are discussed. In ch. 4 the radio-ecological aspects of fly-ash powder and gypsum are treated and, in ch. 5, those of building materials. Ch. 6 deals with indoor gamma-radiation. In ch. 7 a survey is given of radon concentrations in Dutch dwellings and the observed differences in concentrations. The synthesis of the various factors which influence the indoor radiation burden, the way in which radon and radondaughters enter the lungs and their contribution to the origin of lung carcinomas are discussed in ch. 8, together with the computer model with which the radiation aspects of certain building-technical developments can be calculated. Ch. 9 finally summarizes the most important results of the SAWORA program. 34 refs.; figs