Study of radon and its progeny concentrations in an oil refinery and foundry environment

LR-115 type II detectors were used to measure the radon concentrations in t he dwellings of an oil refinery and in some foundries. The radon levels ins ide an oil refinery and foundries are found to be below the USEPA's remedia l action levels of 150 Bq m(-3). The radon concentrations in oil refinery w ere found to be higher in both outdoor and indoor environment. as compared to those found in normal background dwellings. The radon levels inside the foundries investigated are of the same order as measured in dwellings of th e same city. The reported higher lung cancer rates in foundries may not be attributed to radon.