Determination of Radon and Thoron Concentrations in Different Kinds of Tobacco Samples Used in Palestine and Jordan

Abstract

samples used in Palestine and Jordan and then calculates the doses resulting from those samples for smoker peoples. To investigate whether the tobacco itself is a potential source of radon, the concentrations were measured in 49 different local tobacco, cigarettes and narghile tobacco samples using CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The results showed that the total concentrations of radon and thoron in local tobacco and cigarettes used in Palestine ranged from 32.8 to 154.6 Bqm-3, with an a total average value of 89.5 Bqm-3, and from 56.9 to 150.9 Bqm-3, with an a total average value of 100.0 Bqm-3, respectively. The total concentrations of radon and thoron in cigarettes and narghile tobacco used in Jordan ranged from 53.6 to 200.1 Bqm-3, with a total average value of 108.0 Bqm-3, and from 38.3 to 194.7 Bqm-3, with a total average value of 89.0 Bqm-3, respectively. The annual effective dose and the lung cancer cases per year per million person were calculated for all samples. The results showed that the radon concentrations and the resulting doses emerged from several investigated samples were higher than the safe limits recommended by the World Health Organization in some aspects. Therefore, health risk due to radon is possible.