Vol. 10, 2025

Radiation Measurements

ASSESSMENT OF GAMMA DOSE RATE AND POPULATION EXPOSURE IN THE TOWN OF BERAT, ALBANIA

Jurgen Shano, Brunilda Daci, Elida Bylyku

Pages: 59-64

DOI: 10.37392/RapProc.2025.12

This study aims to establish the gamma dose rate and accumulated radiation dose in Berat and compare the exposure of inhabitants in the old town district, which has been under UNESCO protection since 2008, with that of those living in other parts of the city. For this purpose, we utilized the Backpack ATOMTEX device and took measurements at various points, following international guidelines for environmental radiation monitoring. To calculate a per-year population dose estimation, the conversion coefficient from absorbed dose in air to effective dose was used. Data were analyzed and processed using the Kriging method of interpolation to address the spatial distribution of values, as well as MATLAB for numerical data processing. The largest gamma dose rate in the city was 0.134 μGy/h. Because two-thirds of people spend time indoors and one-third outdoors, the residents’ annual effective dose is approximately 0.087 mSv/year, which is lower than the European Union’s limit of 1 mSv/year. The results indicate a uniform and low-level natural background radiation environment across Berat, with no radiological risk for the public. These findings contribute valuable baseline data for environmental radiation monitoring in historically significant urban areas and support future public health planning.
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