Indoor radon levels and influencing factors in Tarhuna and Msallata, Libya: A winter study including surface soil radon in Tarhuna

IF 1.8 3区工程技术 Q3 CHEMISTRY, INORGANIC & NUCLEAR

Applied Radiation and Isotopes Pub Date : 2025-09-15 DOI:10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.112187

M.M. Al Bosta , J.J. Al Radaideh , M. Al Ghrawi , A. Okasha

{"title":"Indoor radon levels and influencing factors in Tarhuna and Msallata, Libya: A winter study including surface soil radon in Tarhuna","authors":"M.M. Al Bosta , J.J. Al Radaideh , M. Al Ghrawi , A. Okasha","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.112187","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Indoor radon gas poses a significant global lung cancer risk, with comprehensive data scarce in many regions, including Tarhuna and Msallata, Libya. This study assessed indoor radon concentrations and their influencing environmental, structural, and behavioral factors in homes, alongside surface soil gas radon in Tarhuna, during the winter season. Radon levels were measured using passive detectors and analyzed with statistical methods including ANOVA, t-tests, and Generalized Additive Models (GAM). Indoor radon averaged 37 Bq/m<sup>3</sup> (13–111 Bq/m<sup>3</sup>), showing no significant differences between cities or room types. Surface soil gas radon in Tarhuna averaged 1.9 kBq/m<sup>3</sup> (0.2–6.0 kBq/m<sup>3</sup>), with no significant variation across soil types. GAM analysis identified daily ventilation duration as the most significant negative predictor of indoor radon. Building type had a marginal influence, while other factors were not independently significant. These findings underscore natural ventilation as a primary, cost-effective radon mitigation strategy for the region. Future studies should consider larger samples and continuous monitoring to further elucidate radon dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"226 ","pages":"Article 112187"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969804325005329","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, INORGANIC & NUCLEAR","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Indoor radon gas poses a significant global lung cancer risk, with comprehensive data scarce in many regions, including Tarhuna and Msallata, Libya. This study assessed indoor radon concentrations and their influencing environmental, structural, and behavioral factors in homes, alongside surface soil gas radon in Tarhuna, during the winter season. Radon levels were measured using passive detectors and analyzed with statistical methods including ANOVA, t-tests, and Generalized Additive Models (GAM). Indoor radon averaged 37 Bq/m³ (13–111 Bq/m³), showing no significant differences between cities or room types. Surface soil gas radon in Tarhuna averaged 1.9 kBq/m³ (0.2–6.0 kBq/m³), with no significant variation across soil types. GAM analysis identified daily ventilation duration as the most significant negative predictor of indoor radon. Building type had a marginal influence, while other factors were not independently significant. These findings underscore natural ventilation as a primary, cost-effective radon mitigation strategy for the region. Future studies should consider larger samples and continuous monitoring to further elucidate radon dynamics.

查看原文本刊更多论文

利比亚塔胡纳和姆萨拉塔的室内氡水平及其影响因素：包括塔胡纳表层土壤氡的冬季研究

室内氡气构成重大的全球肺癌风险，包括利比亚的塔胡纳和姆萨拉塔在内的许多地区缺乏全面数据。本研究评估了冬季塔尔胡纳地区室内氡浓度及其对家庭环境、结构和行为因素的影响，以及表层土壤气体氡。采用被动探测器测量氡水平，并采用方差分析、t检验和广义加性模型（GAM）等统计方法进行分析。室内氡平均为37 Bq/m3 (13-111 Bq/m3)，在城市和房间类型之间无显著差异。塔里木河表层土壤气氡平均值为1.9 kBq/m3 (0.2 ~ 6.0 kBq/m3)，不同土壤类型间差异不显著。GAM分析发现每日通风时间是室内氡最显著的负预测因子。建筑类型影响较小，其他因素影响不显著。这些研究结果强调，自然通风是该地区主要的、具有成本效益的氡缓解战略。未来的研究应考虑更大的样本和持续监测，以进一步阐明氡动力学。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Applied Radiation and Isotopes 工程技术-核科学技术

CiteScore

3.00

自引率

12.50%

发文量

406

审稿时长

13.5 months

期刊介绍： Applied Radiation and Isotopes provides a high quality medium for the publication of substantial, original and scientific and technological papers on the development and peaceful application of nuclear, radiation and radionuclide techniques in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, biology, medicine, security, engineering and in the earth, planetary and environmental sciences, all including dosimetry. Nuclear techniques are defined in the broadest sense and both experimental and theoretical papers are welcome. They include the development and use of α- and β-particles, X-rays and γ-rays, neutrons and other nuclear particles and radiations from all sources, including radionuclides, synchrotron sources, cyclotrons and reactors and from the natural environment. The journal aims to publish papers with significance to an international audience, containing substantial novelty and scientific impact. The Editors reserve the rights to reject, with or without external review, papers that do not meet these criteria. Papers dealing with radiation processing, i.e., where radiation is used to bring about a biological, chemical or physical change in a material, should be directed to our sister journal Radiation Physics and Chemistry.