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RADON MEASUREMENTS IN KINDERGARTENS IN AREA AFFECTED BY UNDERGROUND MINING

Jan Skowronek, Ma ³ gorzata Wysocka, Antoni Mielnikow,Stanislaw Chalupnik
Laboratory of Radiometry, Central Mining Institute
40-166 Katowice, Pl. Gwarkow 1, POLAND
tel. +(48-32) 592382, fax: +(48-32) 596533, e-mail: brxjs@boruta.gig.katowice.pl

A survey of radon concentration in kindergartens in area of town Piekary Œ l ¹ skie, affected by
underground mining, have been performed. Measurements were done in cellars and classrooms on the
groundfloor. The highest value of radon concentration in the classroom during long-term monitoring
was of about 228 Bq/m 3 . During the survey we proved a correlation between concentrations of radon
in soil gas and in buildings. Easy migration of radon from soil into buildings enables a specific
geological structure of the bedrock, location of particular kindergartens over active mines and due to
that fact that a lot of fissures and cracks in walls of buildings are caused by coal mining underneath the
town.
Keywords: radiation hazard, kindergartens, dose equivalents, mining areas