Indoor radon concentration for buildings of different ages in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Abstract

Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive noble gas without colour, odour and taste to which humans are usually exposed. Prolonged exposure to radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer among smokers and non-smokers. Radon concentrations across Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) have remained a potential risk of health concerns because the old facilities on campus may contribute to the generation of radon gas. Therefore, this study aimed to compare radon levels between the old (Faculty of Science) and new (Faculty of Civil Engineering) buildings of UTM, and also to compare concentrations of radon between ground floor and second floor within the two types of buildings. The RAD-7 was selected as the equipment to measure radon concentrations at the laboratories, meeting rooms and lecturer rooms at the monitored buildings. The radon content of both the old and new buildings did not exceed the WHO reference level of 100 Bqm−3. However, radon at the new building was present at higher concentrations than that at the old buildings on average due to energy efficient and airtight design of the new building.