Azerbaijan National Academy of Science

Studies conducted on the territory of Azerbaijan in order to identify the amount of radon gas were included in the "European map of indoor radon." On an electronic map, drawn up by the European Commission reflect the prevalence of the aforementioned gas on the territory of our country.

As is well known, exceeding the permissible norms, widespread on the globe radon gas is a cause of disease of lung cancer. Among the factors causing lung cancer, radon is second only to smoking. Since 2010, scientists at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (IGG) of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (ANAS) conduct research to identify areas of distribution of this gas in the country and reduce the risk of negative impact on the health of its people. By the joint research, which had begun by the head of the department "Scale-spectrometry of geological environment" of the Institute, corresponding member of ANAS, Professor Chingiz Aliyev, head of the department "Radiometry of geological environment, corresponding member of ANAS Akbar Feyzullayev and scientists at the University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland (UAS) and other countries of the continent were involved as well.

Recently, our scientists have made presentation at the international seminar "Atlas of natural radiation of Europe", which was organized by the European Commission in the Italian city of Verbania, and presented the results of studies in Azerbaijan. The report, entitled "The experience of the study of indoor radon in the territory of Azerbaijan” has been met with great interest. The seminar was attended by over 30 scientists representing 29 countries and international organizations.

Over the last 5 years as a result of research carried out with financial support from the National Science Foundation of Switzerland and at their own expense IGG, in a number of residential buildings located mainly in the mountainous regions of the republic, it was revealed the content of radon gas in excess of the allowable standards. On the basis of these data, in 2013, it was composed "Map of the distribution of radon volume activity in the territory of Azerbaijan."

In order to familiarize with the European experience of research on this issue Ch.Aliyev and A.Feyzullayev participated in the international conferences, seminars and meetings, which were held in the UAS and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Scientists of Azerbaijan discussed methods to reduce radon risk not only with their European counterparts, but also with scientists from other continents. They also discussed the possibility of joint research in the field, heard reports on the results of studies related to radon risk in different parts of the world, and discussed plans for further research. At these events, presentations and proposals of scientists IGG were also met with great interest and have made a significant contribution to the common cause.

Ch.Aliyev noted that, as some countries have recently joined the project, as long as the map does not cover the whole of Europe. In the course of expanding the study area map will be updated.

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