Evaluating and mapping the temporal and spatial distribution of radon gas utilizing geological and geospatial methods: implications for environmental impact assessment in Dessie town, Ethiopia

Evaluating and mapping the temporal and spatial distribution of radon gas utilizing geological and geospatial methods: implications for environmental impact assessment in Dessie town, Ethiopia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Evaluating and mapping the temporal and spatial distribution of radon gas utilizing geological and geospatial methods: implications for environmental impact assessment in Dessie town, Ethiopia Gebeyaw Ahmed, Hailu Zeleke This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5834303/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract As a primordial radioactive element, radon can be released from the earth's geological formations. Dessie town's geological formations contain minerals that contain radon gas, which is the second cause of lung cancer next to smoking. So far, there were no investigations of geological-based radon health risks in the study area. The main objective of this study was to evaluate and map the temporal and spatial distribution of radon gas concentrations within Dessie town. The evaluation and mapping were done by using advanced geological and geospatial techniques, employing Quantum Geographic information systems (QGIS), and remote sensing techniques to integrate the research area's weather conditions, and geological data. We understood that the geological formations of Dessie town comprise basaltic rocks as we identified from the geological map of Dessie town obtained from Ethiopian geological institute, based on the geological information, we had got the radon gas activity concentrations in basaltic rock in two different ranges from 3581.5 Bqm -3 to 10,744.5 Bqm -3 for emanation coefficient 0.3 and from 35.815 Bqm -3 to 107.445 Bqm -3 for emanation coefficient 0.1 for the study area. Radon gas distribution map shows that the distributions of radon gas in Dessie town in two ranges which have their own potential hot spots as circled with different color on the map. These result indicates that there will exists health related problems due to prolonged exposure of radon gas at each station and for further investigation of radon gas activity concentrations and its health impact we recommended that using experimental measurement will provide more accurate result. Radon gas emanation coefficient geological formation geospatial methods climatic conditions Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files APPENDIX.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5834303","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":403611106,"identity":"52b3e990-05e6-41ba-a493-9c6fc33e5cc7","order_by":0,"name":"Gebeyaw Ahmed","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACHjDJLM/MfPABiMtHrBZ2w3a2ZAMQl41YLfwM53nMJEAsglrk3XsPPuapOSzN2MxjVvk1x06GjYH54aMbeLQYnjmXbMxz7LAxOzNb2W3ZbclAh7EZG+fg0zIjx0yah+12MmMz87bbktuYgVp42KTxapn/xvw3z7/b9Q2HGcyKJbfVE9YiL8FjxszbdpuZ4TCLGePHbYcJazHgyUuWnNv3n9mwmS1ZmnHbcR42ZgJ+kW8/e/DDm29pzPL8hw9+/Lmt2p6fvfnhY7y2HGBgYOKBcpjBDGY8ysG2NDAwMP6AcuCMUTAKRsEoGAXIAAD23UNyJLEJ1wAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Mekdela Amba university","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gebeyaw","middleName":"","lastName":"Ahmed","suffix":""},{"id":403611107,"identity":"5d5cdf30-9912-4cc7-8ceb-c0a67e0f8d31","order_by":1,"name":"Hailu Zeleke","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wollo University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hailu","middleName":"","lastName":"Zeleke","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-01-15 12:08:31","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5834303/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5834303/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":74427826,"identity":"5f63fc3a-59ed-4ae8-9bf4-d90826953205","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-22 08:16:29","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1390589,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"DraftofArticle.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5834303/v1_covered_5f146def-e89c-4204-9755-1ff2acea4b1b.pdf"},{"id":74424355,"identity":"d74f39ce-5753-4420-a747-a4a08c968dcc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-22 07:52:27","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":9393024,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"APPENDIX.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5834303/v1/17fa6cff9a1d7d5bc954df3b.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Evaluating and mapping the temporal and spatial distribution of radon gas utilizing geological and geospatial methods: implications for environmental impact assessment in Dessie town, Ethiopia","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Radon gas, emanation coefficient, geological formation, geospatial methods, climatic conditions","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5834303/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5834303/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAs a primordial radioactive element, radon can be released from the earth's geological formations. Dessie town's geological formations contain minerals that contain radon gas, which is the second cause of lung cancer next to smoking. So far, there were no investigations of geological-based radon health risks in the study area. The main objective of this study was to evaluate and map the temporal and spatial distribution of radon gas concentrations within Dessie town. \u0026nbsp;The evaluation and mapping were done by using advanced geological and geospatial techniques, employing Quantum Geographic information systems (QGIS), and remote sensing techniques to integrate the research area's weather conditions, and geological data. We understood that the geological formations of Dessie town comprise basaltic rocks as we identified from the geological map of Dessie town obtained from Ethiopian geological institute, based on the geological information, we had got the radon gas activity concentrations in basaltic rock in two different ranges from 3581.5 Bqm\u003csup\u003e-3\u003c/sup\u003e \u0026nbsp;to 10,744.5 Bqm\u003csup\u003e-3\u003c/sup\u003e for emanation coefficient 0.3 and from 35.815 Bqm\u003csup\u003e-3\u003c/sup\u003e \u0026nbsp;to 107.445 Bqm\u003csup\u003e-3\u003c/sup\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;for emanation coefficient 0.1 for the study area. \u0026nbsp;Radon gas distribution map shows that the distributions of radon gas in Dessie town in two ranges which have their own potential hot spots as circled with different color on the map. These result indicates that there will exists health related problems due to \u0026nbsp;prolonged exposure of radon gas at each station and for further investigation of radon gas activity concentrations and its health impact we recommended that using experimental measurement will provide more accurate result.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Evaluating and mapping the temporal and spatial distribution of radon gas utilizing geological and geospatial methods: implications for environmental impact assessment in Dessie town, Ethiopia","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-01-22 07:52:23","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5834303/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"767e86f0-25c4-4af1-b3d5-d7e8cccee521","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 22nd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-01-22T07:52:23+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-01-22 07:52:23","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5834303","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5834303","identity":"rs-5834303","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}