INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENTS IN SOME SPANISH HOUSES AND DWELLINGS WITH PLASTIC NUCLEAR TRACK DETECTORS

A passive dosemeter, based on Makrofol ED track detectors covered with aluminized Mylar, enclosed in the Karlsruhe diffussion chamber, has been used for radon concentration studies. Detectors have been irradiated, using a Am-241 source, at different energies and fluences in order to obtain the electrochemical etching conditions that allow the optimum registration of alpha particles having energies over 3 MeV. Thirty dosemeters have been sent to the NRPB Radon Environmental Chamber for calibration. The sensitivity of the dosemeter has been calculated. Several dosemeters have, also, been exposed in houses and dwellings in the Barcelona and Madrid areas for monitoring. Values for radon concentration in the areas under study are presented.