Baseline soil radon distribution and radiological risk assessment of the University of Kufa, Iraq

This study examined radon gas exposure and its health risks in the soil at Kufa University in Iraq. Radon is a radioactive gas. It forms when uranium decays. This gas can be a serious health issue, especially in enclosed spaces. The mean value of the measurements was done with Airthings Corentium detectors and resulted in 51.33 ± 30.21 Bq/m3. The results of the study indicate that the AED was 1.29 ± 0.76 mSv/y on average annually. This is less than the recommended value by ICRP. But the excess lifetime cancer risk was much higher, with an average of 4.53 × 10−3. The spatial analysis of radon indicated that the hazard is not even across the campus. The resulting radon potential map is important for future building planning and for assessing the radon risk for existing buildings. There is an increased risk of high levels of radon in buildings in ‘high-potential’ radon areas, making proactive mitigation efforts critical.