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The requirements about radon measurements in schools and public buildings included in most of the national and international legislations are generally restricted to all the rooms located at the ground floor and basement, assuming the soil beneath the building as the main source of indoor radon. In order to verify such an assumption for small buildings having at maximum two floors, a preliminary study was performed in 50 schools located in 15 municipalities of the Republic of Srpska. Results of this study suggest that a protocol requiring measurements at the ground floor only may be considered adequate. Due to the high radon spatial variability for rooms at the ground floor, it is preferable to require measurements in a high number of rooms (preferably in all of them) in order to assess the compliance with the reference level established by the legislation.

The paper deals with the analysis of the annual indoor radon concentrations variations due to different geological parameters of Sjenica community, Western Serbia. The measured Rn-222 concentrations were ranging from 10 to 1130 Bq/m(3). In 14% of the buildings, the radon action level of 300 Bq/m(3) is exceeded, indicating that Sjenica community could be characterized as a radon priority area. Each of 35 measuring location was georeferenced and corresponding lithostratigraphic units and geological period was assigned. Data were analyzed using the multiple linear regression (MLR) method and two predictive models were developed. The MLR model generated by the geological periods explained 17% of the radon variability while, the better one, was the lithostratigraphic MLR model, which explained 52% of the radon variability. Analysis has shown that lithostratigraphic units are important parameters in the prediction of radon levels.

The main contribution to population exposure is due to radon and thoron progenies and not radon itself. The aim of this study was therefore to estimate annual effective dose using the results of Direct Radon and Thoron Progeny Sensors were exposed in 69 selected schools and 319 dwellings in several regions of Balkans: in Serbia: regions of Sokobanja and Kosovo and Metohija, Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Srpska and Slovenia. Obtained average total effective doses are in the range from 0.22 mSv a-1 (schools in Republic of Srpska) to 2.5 mSv a-1 (dwellings in Kosovo) and are below the reference level of 10 mSv a-1 recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection. © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The subject of this study is the radon concentrations variations, measured with a nuclear track detectors in a total of 58 premises in all 29 primary schools of 4 municipalities in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Despite a relatively small territory, the variability of radon concentrations proved to be significant. The geometric means (geometric standard deviations) of radon concentrations in the examined municipalities were in the range from GM = 71 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.08) to GM = 162 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.69), while for the entire region it was: GM = 96 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.47). The influence of the geographical and geological features of the school site as well as the building characteristics on the radon variations were investigated. The analysis showed that type of municipality, building materials, basement and geology have significant effects and respectively describe 6%, 16%, 22%, 39% of the radon total variability.

We present a method for the estimation of annual radon concentration based on short-term (three months) measurements. The study involves results from two independent sets of indoor radon concentration measurements performed in 16 cities of the Republic of Macedonia. The first data set contains winter and annual radon concentration obtained during the National survey in 2010 and the second, contains only the radon concentration measured during the winter of 2013. Both data sets pertain to radon concentration from the same cities and have been measured applying the same methodology in ground floor dwellings. The results appeared to be consistent and the dispersion of radon concentration was low. Linear regression analysis of the radon concentration measured in winter of 2010 and of the 2010 annual radon concentration revealed a high coefficient of determination R-2 = 0.92, with a relative uncertainty of 3%. Furthermore, this model was used to estimate the annual radon concentration solely from winter-term measurements performed in 2013. The geometrical mean of the estimated annual radon concentration of the 2013: radon concentration (A-2013) =98 Bqm(-3) was almost equal to the geometrical mean of the annual radon concentration from the 2010, radon concentration (A-2010) = 99 Bqm(-3). Analysis of the influence of building characteristics, such as presence/absence of a basement in the building, or the dominant building material on the estimated annual radon concentration is also reported. Our results show that a low number of relatively short-term radon measurements may produce a reasonable insight into a gross average obtained in a larger survey.

This article deals with the variation of radon (Rn), thoron (Tn) and their progeny concentrations expressed in terms of equilibrium equivalent concentrations (EERC and EETC), in 40 houses, in four villages of Sokobanja municipality, Southern Serbia. Two types of passive detectors were used: (1) discriminative radon-thoron detector for simultaneous Rn and Tn gases measurements and (2) direct Tn and Rn progeny sensors (DRPS/DTPS) for measuring Rn and Tn progeny concentrations. Detectors were exposed simultaneously for a single period of 12 months. Variations of Tn and EETC appear higher than those of Rn and EERC. Analysis of the spatial variation of the measured concentrations is also reported. This work is part of a wider survey of Rn, Tn and their progeny concentrations in indoor environments throughout the Balkan region started in 2011 year.

Recognized as a significant health hazard, radon (Rn) has been given increasing attention for years. Surveys of different kinds have been performed in many countries to assess the intensity and the geographical extent of possible Rn problems. Common surveys cover mainly dwellings, the indoor place with highest occupancy, and schools, where people spend a large fraction of their lifetime and which can also be considered exemplary for Rn exposure at workplaces; it has however been observed that relating them is difficult. It was unclear whether residential Rn at a location, or in a region, can be predicted by Rn at a school of that location, or vice versa. To current knowledge, no general rule seems applicable, as few models to describe the relationship between Rn in dwellings and in schools have been developed. In Southern Serbia, a Rn survey in a predominantly rural region was based on measurements in primary schools. The question arose whether or to which degree the results can be considered as indicative or even representative for residential Rn concentrations. To answer the question an additional survey of indoor Rn concentrations in dwellings was initiated, designed and performed in Sokobanja district in 2010-2012 in a manner to be able to detect a relationship if it exists. In the study region, 108 dwellings in 12 villages and towns were selected, with one primary school each. In this paper, we investigate how a relation between Rn in schools and dwellings could be identified and quantified, by developing a model and using experimental data from both the above main and additional surveys. The key criterion is the hypothesis that the relation dwellings schools, if it exists, is stronger for dwellings closer to a school than for those dwellings further away. We propose methods to test the hypothesis. As result, the hypothesis is corroborated at 95% significance level. More specifically, on town level (typical size about 1 km), the Rn concentration ratio dwelling

This article reports results of the first investigations on indoor radon, thoron and their decay products concentration in 25 primary schools of Banja Luka, capital city of Republic Srpska. The measurements have been carried out in the period from May 2011 to April 2012 using 3 types of commercially available nuclear track detectors, named: long-term radon monitor (GAMMA 1)- for radon concentration measurements (C-Rn); radon-thoron discriminative monitor (RADUET) for thoron concentration measurements (C-Tn); while equilibrium equivalent radon concentration (EERC) and equilibrium equivalent thoron concentrations (EETC) measured by Direct Radon Progeny Sensors/Direct Thoron Progeny Sensors (DRPS/DTPS) were exposed in the period November 2011 to April 2012. In each school the detectors were deployed at 10 cm distance from the wall. The obtained geometric mean concentrations were C-Rn = 99 Bq m(-3) and C-Tn = 51 Bq m(-3) for radon and thoron gases respectively. Those for equilibrium equivalent radon concentration (EERC) and equilibrium equivalent thoron concentrations (EETC) were 11.2 Bq m(-3) and 0.4 Bq m(-3), respectively. The correlation analyses showed weak relation only between C-Rn and C-Tn as well as between C-Tn and EETC. The influence of the school geographical locations and factors linked to buildings characteristic in relation to measured concentrations were tested. The geographical location and floor level significantly influence C-Rn while C-Tn depend only from building materials (ANOVA, p LT = 0.05). The obtained geometric mean values of the equilibrium factors were 0.123 for radon and 0.008 for thoron. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radon concentration measurements were performed in all 25 primary schools in Banja Luka city, the capital of Republic of Srpska, during 2011 and 2012, using both active RAD7 continual radon measuring instruments and CR-39 passive (commercially known as Gamma) detectors. The two complimentary methods were employed not only to obtain annual averages, but also to study the dynamics of radon concentration changes during the week. For each school, average and temporal variations of radon concentrations were analysed, taking into consideration local geology, building materials and meteorological conditions. The influence of forced ventilation, caused by frequent opening of doors and windows during working hours, with typical dawn and weekend peaks is evident in most but not all schools. Elevated levels of radon concentration ( GT 400 Bq m(-3)) were found in a few schools using both methods. Although high correlation factor of 0.8 between passive and active methods was found, still short-time (one-week) measurements cannot be used for annual estimation of radon activity but only as a screening one. Thus, the conclusion concerns only long time measurements as valid indicator of annual radon activity.