Geographical distribution of the annual mean radon concentrations in primary schools of Southern Serbia e application of geostatistical methods

Bossew, Peter and Zunic, Zora S. and Stojanovska, Zdenka and Tollefsen, Tore and Carpentieri, Carmela and Veselinovic, Nenad and Komatina, S. and Vaupotic, Janja and Simovic, R.D. and Antignani, Sara and Bochicchio, Francesco (2014) Geographical distribution of the annual mean radon concentrations in primary schools of Southern Serbia e application of geostatistical methods. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity (127). pp. 141-148. ISSN 0265-931X

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Abstract

Between 2008 and 2011 a survey of radon (222Rn) was performed in schools of several districts of
Southern Serbia. Some results have been published previously (Zunic et al., 2010; Carpentieri et al., 2011;
Zunic et al., 2013). This article concentrates on the geographical distribution of the measured Rn concentrations.
Applying geostatistical methods we generate “school radon maps” of expected concentrations
and of estimated probabilities that a concentration threshold is exceeded. The resulting maps show
a clearly structured spatial pattern which appears related to the geological background. In particular in
areas with vulcanite and granitoid rocks, elevated radon (Rn) concentrations can be expected. The
“school radon map” can therefore be considered as proxy to a map of the geogenic radon potential, and
allows identification of radon-prone areas, i.e. areas in which higher Rn radon concentrations can be
expected for natural reasons.
It must be stressed that the “radon hazard”, or potential risk, estimated this way, has to be distinguished
from the actual radon risk, which is a function of exposure. This in turn may require (depending
on the target variable which is supposed to measure risk) considering demographic and sociological
reality, i.e. population density, distribution of building styles and living habits.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Natural sciences > Physical sciences
Divisions: Faculty of Medical Science
Depositing User: Zdenka Stojanovska
Date Deposited: 11 Jun 2014 11:17
Last Modified: 30 Oct 2014 10:26
URI: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/10046

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