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EXPOSURE OF THE POPULATION OF SOUTHERN GREECE TO RADON RISK ASSESSMENT

D. Nikolopoulos*, A. Louizi*, V. Koukouliou**, H. Lobotessi*, C. Proukakis*
*Medical Physics Department, Medical School, University of Athens. 75 Micras Asias Street,
Goudi, 115 27, Athens, Greece. Tel. (Fax): ++301-7793273
** Greek Atomic Energy Commission, 15 310, Ag. Paraskevi P.O.Box 60092, Attiki, Greece

A large-scale radon survey has been carried out from 1995 to 1998 in southern Greece, in order to
estimate the radon concentration in Greek dwellings and the exposure of the Greek population to
radon. The design was administratively orientated. The statistical criterion for the selection of
sampling locations and the distribution of radon dosimeters was the percentage of dwellings of each
level of the administratively classifications in respect to the above level. This way of distribution
assured that all the inhabited geographical regions were covered. The measurements were conducted
with the use of track etch detectors constructed in the Medical Physics Department, Athens
University.
The total measurement set consisted of 1137 samples. It was found that the data fit to a lognormal
distribution with average of 55.1 Bqm -3 , an arithmetic standard deviation of 105.6 Bqm -3 , a geometric
mean of 44.0 Bqm -3 and a geometric standard deviation of 2.40 Bqm -3 . It was found that both the
annual exposure of potential alpha energy and the effective doses present geographic variations.
Potential alpha energy exposure values ranged between 0.0024 and 2.184 WLM y -1 , while effective
dose values, between 0.09 and 10.62 mSv y -1 . The population weighted means were found to be 0.202
WLM y -1 and 0.76 mSv y -1 , respectively.
The total lifetime risk for the Greek population was calculated 4.4x10 -3 , which means that about 4.4
out of 1000 persons die from lung cancer due to radon.
Key words: radon, indoor, radon progeny, surveys, effective dose, risk estimation