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EVALUATION OF INDOOR RADON IN STATE SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT KARDZHALI, BULGARIA
Abstract
Radon exposure at schools may have a considerable public health impact. The exposure and respectively the health risk is related with CRn and time. The schools are buildings with public access, where the children spent long period of life. The main objective of the study is to evaluate the indoor radon concentrations as an important air pollutant in school buildings of Kardzhali districts, Bulgaria, as a first step in controlling and reducing the children exposure. The measurement of radon concentration was made in 437 occupied rooms, situated on underground, ground and first floor, of 55 state school buildings in 7 municipality of the district. The arithmetic and geometric means of radon concentrations are 140 and 117 Becquerel per cubic meter respectively. In 51 rooms, the radon concentrations were higher than 200 Becquerel per cubic meter while in 28 rooms of 17 school buildings, it exceeds the national reference level of 300 Becquerel per cubic meter. The statistically significant difference in indoor radon concentrations between municipalities was obtained. The effect of: type of room, floor, building year of construction and energy efficiency measures in building, on the indoor radon concentration was considered for analysis as well. The values of the radon concentration in the buildings where energy efficiency measures have been implemented are higher than those where they have not been performed.
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