Search

Radon is a radioactive gas which is present everywhere on the earth with different proportions according to the place. Known as an alpha emitter, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it as carcinogenic for lungs since 1987. In order to prevent the population of Côte d’Ivoire from the health risks linked to radon, several indoor measurements have been carried out in the District of Abidjan (capital of Côte d’Ivoire), precisely in Abobo, the commune with the second national highest population rate. 18 sites have been selected in this commune for radon concentration monitoring using the Solid State Nuclear Tracks Detectors (SSNTD) technique.Radon concentrations measured in Abobo vary from 27.5 to 211.2 Bq.m-3 with an average of 113 Bq.m-3. Our results are analyzed and compared to the limit levels in other countries and also to those recommended by the WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Except one site, most of our values are far inferior to international limits standards. Moreover, the Excess lung Cancer Risk (ECR) has been evaluated. Some protection measures have been proposed in order to reduce indoor radon concentration and the number of lung cancer related to radon in Côte d’Ivoire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]