ASSESSMENT OF NET RADIATION LEVELS INSIDE RURAL HOUSESOF WOLAYTA, SIDAMA AND SILTE ZONES OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study aimed at to assess netradiation levels in side rural houses of Wolayta,Sidama and Silte zones of Southern Ethiopia.The field experiment was conducted in 12 peasant houses in three locations anddata for radon-222 (222Rn) was collected in the morning time from December 2-13/2017 by using Alpha Guard, which readsconcentration of radon -222( 222Rn) every ten minutes(in Bq/m3).The results are shown as follows. All results indicated exponential decay of radon concentration with height. Comparisons were made between houses and zones using two way-ANOVA and the results show significant differences between houses but none between the zones. Ventilated houses showed lower means and standard deviations of radon concentrations. Houses with covered floors also showed lower radon concentrations compared to houses of uncovered floors. Based on IAEA limit only of the houses exceeded the limit when averages of all the heights were considered but when heights of 0.5 and 1m were considered none of the houses exceeded the limit. More study may be needed to assess radiation levels of the surrounding soils to know more about the differences among the zones.