Assessment of Radiation Dose Rate in Hongsa District, Xaiyabuly Province

Abstract

This research aimed (1) to survey and measure the amount of environmental radiation emitted from the soil and present in the air in Hongsa District, Xayabouly Province; and (2) to study and calculate the risk indices indicating potential hazards to humans and animals. Radiation levels were measured at 20 locations in Hongsa District, Xayabouly Province, using an Inspector Alert™ V2 radiation detector. The results were then compared with the standards announced by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The findings showed that radiation levels at all 20 locations were low and within safety limits, posing no danger to living organisms. The study also found that the absorbed gamma dose rate in air (G, nGy h⁻¹) measured at 1 m above ground level, the average annual outdoor effective dose (AEDEout), and the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were lowest at point S02, which is located in a densely populated urban area. In contrast, point S11, situated north of the town center, recorded the highest values. The higher radiation levels at this site are likely due to differences in geological structure in that area, particularly the presence of lignite rock formations.