Seasonal Variations in Effective Radiation Dose in Residential Buildings of the Akmola Region: Assessing the Impact of Basement Presence and Proximity to Uranium Tailings
Lesbek A. Omori Y. Bakhtin M. Ibrayeva D. Tokonami S. Kazhiyakhmetova B. Aumalikova M. Saifulina E. Mussaeva E. Altaeva N. Nygymanova A. Kashkinbayev Y.
October 2025Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Environments - MDPI
2025#12Issue 10
Residential exposure to radon and environmental gamma radiation poses a significant public health concern in uranium-rich regions. The Akmola Region of Kazakhstan, home to one of the world’s largest uranium tailings sites, lacks localized data on seasonal exposure variations and associated health risks. This study assessed indoor radon progeny concentrations and gamma dose rates in 62 dwellings across two settlements—Aqsu and Zavodskoy—in the Akmola Region during autumn 2023 through summer 2024. Using RAMON-02 and Alpharad Plus detectors, seasonal equivalent equilibrium volumetric activity (EEVA) of radon progeny and effective doses were calculated, stratified by presence of a cellar. In Aqsu, ambient dose equivalent rates reached up to 0.55 µSv/h, and winter median EEVA levels exceeded 130 Bq/m3 in some non-cellar homes. Seasonal effective doses peaked in spring (up to 8.82 mSv) in cellar dwellings, with annual doses reaching 23.5 mSv—substantially higher than in Zavodskoy. Although mitigation efforts have reduced exposure in some homes, several cellar dwellings in Aqsu exhibited persistently elevated EEVA, suggesting potential structural vulnerabilities or residual contamination. These findings underscore significant seasonal and structural disparities in radiation exposure and highlight the need for targeted, site-specific interventions to reduce long-term health risks in affected communities.
cancer risk , cellar , EEVA , effective dose , environmental health , gamma radiation , indoor exposure , Kazakhstan , radon , uranium tailings
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Institute of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection NJSC, Astana Medical University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan
Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology NJSC, Astana Medical University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
International Department of Nuclear Physics, New Materials and Technologies, L.N. Gumilyov, Eurasian National University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Institute of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection NJSC
Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine
Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology NJSC
International Department of Nuclear Physics
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