https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-06208-0
Regular Article
Seasonal variations and health implications of indoor radon, radon and radium levels in soil in communities near Volta Lake in North Dayi District, Ghana
1
School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Basic Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Volta, Ghana
2
School of Physical Sciences, Department of Physics, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
3
Radiation Protection Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box LG 80, Legon, Accra, Ghana
4
School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box AE1, Atomic Campus, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Received:
21
February
2025
Accepted:
9
March
2025
Published online:
25
March
2025
This study investigates seasonal variations in indoor radon levels, radon and radium content in soils across communities near the Volta Lake in the North Dayi district, Ghana. Radon levels were measured using CR-39 detectors in dwellings, while soil samples were analysed for radium and radon exhalation. The indoor radon levels ranged from 24.6 to 244.1 Bq/m3, with an average value of 125.8 ± 7.8 Bq/m3 (rainy season) and 109.8 ± 7.4 Bq/m3 (dry season), with higher concentrations recorded during the rainy season, possibly due to soil moisture trapping radon gas. Radium content in the soil ranged from 17.9 to 63.9 Bq/kg, with a mean of 39.2 ± 1.6 Bq/kg, while radon exhalation rates ranged from 18.8 to 166.9 μBq/m2h with a mean of 102.9 ± 7.7 μBq/m2h (rainy season) and 100.0 ± 7.4 μBq/m2h (dry season). The annual effective dose from indoor radon exposure ranged from 0.9 to 5.7 mSv/y, with an average of 3.0 mSv/y, which is about 2.5 times greater than 1.2 mSv/y recommended by UNSCEAR. About 48 and 65% of the dwellings recorded radon values greater than 100 Bqm−3 recommended by WHO during dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The mean indoor radon levels were approximately 3.2 and 2.8 times higher than the proposed world average value of 39 Bqm−3 by UNSCEAR during rainy and dry seasons, respectively. The higher values recorded necessitate radon mitigation strategies in high-risk areas. This research provides valuable baseline data to guide public health policies and radon management efforts in Ghana.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.