Non-occupational Radiation Exposure

Several assumptions are made for the range of small doses  

Average equivalent dose rates received from natural radiation sources are listed in Table 22.8. The values vary appreciably with the environmental conditions. The influence of cosmic radiation increases markedly with the height above sea level, and terrestrial radiation depends strongly on the local and the living conditions. 

Kind of exposure Equivalent dose [mSv/y] Whole body Bone Lung and gonads  

On the ground, locally up to x,2 Sv/y. Intensity of cosmic radiation increases by a factor of a 1.6 per 1000 m above sea level. 

Locally up to a 4.3 Sv/y. On average, in the open air a 25% less than in buildings. Minimum values X 1/10, maximum values x 10 of the values listed. 

---

Individual dose assessment requires radiological data on all external and internal sources contributing to occupational and non-occupational radiation exposure (Steinhausler and Pohl, 1983). This is of particular importance in the case of low level Rn-d exposure, as man is always exposed to Rn-d at varying levels through all stages of life, e.g. at school, home or work. The resulting lifetime risk from this chronic exposure is influenced by the latent... 

---