[en] LR-115 plastic track detector has been used to study radon diffusion through some building materials, viz. cement, soil, marble chips, sand and lime as well as air. Diffusion constant and diffusion length is calculated for all these materials

[en] Fission track technique has been used to estimate uranium concentration in the samples of soil, rock and plants collected from some areas of Bilaspur, Mandi and Kulu districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. Uranium concentration in soil samples has been found to vary from 2.16 to 22.50 ppm., in rock samples from 1.41 to 10.34 ppm and in plants from 0.55 to 2.73 ppm. The anomalous uranium values have been obtained in soil, rock and plant samples from Thagan Nala region of Kulu district

[en] Fission track technique has been used to estimate Uranium concentration in water samples belonging to some areas of Bilaspur, Mandi and Kulu districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. The samples are collected from springs and streams falling in river Bias. Uranium concentration has been found to vary from 0.07 to 4.65 ppb with a mean value of 0.72 ppb. Spring water samples from Gamrolla (Distt. Bilaspur) and Jashni (Distt. Kulu) have yielded comparatively higher Uranium values

[en] Radium, thorium and potassium analysis have been made in soil samples collected from some villages of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India using gamma ray spectrometry. The work has been undertaken keeping in view the health hazard effects of these radioelements in the environment. The results for radium activity are also compared using track etch technique employing radon alpha method developed by Somogyi (Technical reports series no. 310, vol. 1, IAEA, Vienna, 1990, p. 229). The measurements have been taken using 5''x4'' NaI(Tl) detector. The gamma ray lines of 1.46, 1.76 and 2.62 MeV were employed for potassium, radium and thorium analysis. The results for radium content in soil obtained by gamma ray spectrometry agrees with that determined by the track etch technique. The radium activity in soil samples of Hamirpur district is found to be within the safe limits

[en] Indoor radon studies have been carried out in the environs of some areas of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India using LR-115 type II plastic track detector. The area is known for uranium mineralization. The work has been undertaken for the health risk assessments. The annual average radon concentration in dwellings in most of the villages falls in the action level recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection. The radon values in some of the dwellings exceed the action level and may be unsafe from the health hazard point of view. The seasonal variations and the contribution of building wall materials to the indoor radon in dwellings are also discussed

[en] The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K have been determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. The measured activity in the selected building materials ranges from (3.2 to 151.7 Bq/kg), 14 to 63.7 Bq/kg and 24.3 to 121.5 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K respectively. The activity concentration of ²³⁸U has been determined using fission track technique and the value ranges from 0.11 to 3.85 ppm. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides are compared with the reported data from other countries. Radium-equivalent activities (Ra_eq) are calculated for the measured samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the use of these materials in the construction of dwellings. All building materials have shown Ra_eq activities lower than the limit set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report (370 Bq/kg), equivalent to external gamma dose of 1.5 mSv yr^-1. A good correlation has been observed between ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra in these materials

[en] LR-115 plastic track detectors have been used for the measurement of radon exhalation rate and radium concentration in soil samples collected from some villages of Una District, Himachal Pradesh, India. Uranium concentration has also been determined in these samples using Fission Track Technique. Uranium concentration in soil samples has been found to vary from 1.07 to 2.47 ppm whereas radium concentration varies from 3.10 to 12.41 Bq/kg. The radon exhalation rate in these samples varies from 126.19 to 506.76 mBqm^-2hr^-1 (3.81 to 15.24 mBqkg^-1hr^-1). A good correlation has been observed between radon exhalation rate and uranium concentration in the soil samples. (author)

[en] Dissolved radon concentration has been determined in some water samples collected from Kangra area (Himachal Pradesh) and Amritsar area (Punjab) using radon emanometry. The water sources comprises municipal water, Bauli's hand pump and tank water. The value of radon content is found to be maximum in lower sakoh 57.86 Bq/l (Bauli water) and minimum in Chikli 23.00 Bq/l (Tap water) of Kangra area Himachal Pradesh. Also the value of radon content is found to be maximum 10.78 Bq/l in Hall gate hand pump and minimum 7.7 Bq/l in Green Avenue tap water of Amritsar area, Punjab. The risk of health hazard due to ingestion of the dissolved radon has been assessed. (author)

[en] LR-115 plastic track detectors have been employed to measure indoor radon level in some dwellings of Una district, Himachal Pradesh, India. The village average radon concentration in the dwellings in most of the villages falls in the range of the action level recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The radon value in some of the dwellings exceeds the action level and may be unsafe from health hazard point of view. The results for uranium estimation in soil, rock, plant and water samples belonging to these areas are also reported. (author)

[en] LR-115 plastic track detectors have been used to measure indoor radon levels in some dwellings of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India. The study has been undertaken keeping in view the health hazard effects of radon. The radon level recorded in some areas exceeded the action level recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and thus may be unsafe from the health hazard point of view. Uranium estimation has also been made in soil, rock, plant and water samples from these areas. An attempt has been made to correlate radon exhalation rate with uranium concentration in these samples. (author)