scholarly journals Construction a process to measurement the indoor radon concentration

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 53-60
Author(s):  
Hien Thi To ◽  
Nguyen Thao Nguyen ◽  
Huy Huu Duong
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Exposure Time ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Radon Exposure ◽  
Indoor Location ◽  
Radon Inhalation ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Radon is a naturally radioactive gas , but it causes lung cancer to humans. The risk of lung cancer due to radiation depends on the amount of radon inhalation and radon exposure time. In Vietnam, radon concentrations are usually determined by RAD7, however RAD7 just showed the immediate values of radon, and have to regularly calibrate it. The construction process to determine the accumulates indoor radon concentration by detector CR- 39 in order to be widely used in the study of environmental pollution, especially the study of health risks of radon for humans and mapping radon pollution. Detector CR - 39 is placed in a 7 cm - plastic holder, and in exposure time, the holders were covered with glass fiber filter paper ∅ 47mm on the bottom of the detector to avoid the exposure of dust. Then it is hung in the indoor location as Vietnam Standard 7889:2008. After 3 months, holders are returned to a laboratory, and CR - 39 will be soaked in 6M NaOH at 700C. Indoor radon concentrations will be proportional to the density traces obtained on CR-39. The study uses an radium 226 source of the NIST (National Institute for Standards and Technology) with the released radon coefficient : f = 0.891 ± 0.015. Results show the calibration factor K is 4.533 ± 0.218 [(Bq.m-3. day)]/(tracks / CR-39)]. Using K factor, we can determine the cumulative indoor radon concentration.

scholarly journals Estimation of Seasonal Correction Factors for Indoor Radon Concentrations in Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Park ◽  
Cheol Lee ◽  
Hyun Lee ◽  
Dae Kang
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Seasonal Adjustment ◽  
Correction Factors ◽  
Housing Type ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Adjustment Factors ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Long-term exposure to high radon concentration exerts pathological effects and elicits changes in respiratory function, increasing an individual’s risk of developing lung cancer. In health risk assessment of indoor radon, consideration of long-term exposure thereto is necessary to identify a relationship between indoor radon exposure and lung cancer. However, measuring long-term indoor radon concentration can be difficult, and a statistical model for predicting mean annual indoor radon concentrations may be readily applicable. We investigated the predictability of mean annual radon concentrations using national data on indoor radon concentrations throughout the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons in Korea. Indoor radon concentrations in Korea were highest in the winter and lowest in the summer. We derived seasonal correction and seasonal adjustment factors for each season based on the method proposed by previous study. However, these factors may not be readily applicable unless measured in a specific season. In this paper, we separate seasonal correction factors for each month of the year (new correction factors) based on correlations between indoor radon and meteorological factors according to housing type. To evaluate the correction factors, we assessed differences between estimated and measured mean annual radon concentrations. Roughly 97% of the estimated values were within ±40 Bq/m3 of actual measured values in detached houses, and roughly 85–87% of the estimated values were within ±40 Bq/m3 of the measured values in other residences. In most cases, the seasonal correction factors and the new correction factors had slightly better agreement than the seasonal adjustment factor. For predicting mean annual radon concentrations, the seasonal correction factors or seasonal adjustment factors can be of use when actual measurements of indoor radon concentrations for a specific season are available. Otherwise, the new correction factors may be more readily applicable.

scholarly journals Lung cancer mortality and radon exposure in Russia

Nukleonika ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilia V. Yarmoshenko ◽  
Georgy P. Malinovsky
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Lung Cancer Mortality ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Female Population ◽  
Radon Exposure ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Research Institute

Abstract The association between the lung cancer and indoor radon exposure in Russian population was investigated. The average indoor radon concentration for each region was estimated using the annual reports issued by the Saint-Petersburg Ramzaev Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene for the period 2008–2013. The average standardized lung cancer mortalities among males and females were estimated using the reports of the Moscow Hertzen Cancer Research Institute for the period 2008–2012. The relative risk (RR) was estimated as a ratio between the average mortality within seven exposure intervals and background mortality. The slope factors of linear dependence between the indoor radon exposure and lung cancer RR are 0.026 (−0.11÷0.17) and 0.83 (0.52–1.12) per radon concentration 100 Bq/m3 for males and females, respectively (with 90% confidence interval). The obtained results can be explained by the confounding effect of tobacco smoking. Significant excess risk of lung cancer in female population can be associated with radon exposure and low prevalence of smoking.

scholarly journals Radon measurements with CR-39 track detectors at specific locations in Turkey

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asiye Ulug ◽  
Melek Karabulut ◽  
Nilgün Celebi
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Arithmetic Means ◽  
Radon Measurements ◽  
New Buildings ◽  
Main Factor ◽  
Ventilation Conditions ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Indoor radon concentration levels at three sites in Turkey were measured using CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors. The annual mean of radon concentration was estimated on the basis of four quarter measurements at specific locations in Turkey. The measuring sites are on the active faults. The results of radon measurements are based on 280 measurements in doors. The annual arithmetic means of radon concentrations at three sites (Isparta Egirdir, and Yalvac) were found to be 164 Bqm?3, 124 Bqm?3, and 112 Bqm?3 respectively, ranging from 78 Bqm?3 to 279 Bqm?3. The in door radon concentrations were investigated with respect to the ventilation conditions and the age of buildings. The ventilation conditions were determined to be the main factor affecting the in door radon concentrations. The in door radon concentrations in the new buildings were higher than ones found in the old buildings.

The Alpha Particle Doses Received by Students and Staff in Twenty Schools in the North of Hebron Region - Palestine

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-316
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Alpha Particles ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
The North ◽  
Cr 39 Detectors ◽  
Average Effective Dose ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Abstract: The aim of the current study was to measure indoor radon concentration levels and its resulting doses received by the students and staff in schools of the directorate of education in the north of Hebron region- Palestine, during the summer months from June to September (2018), using CR-39 detectors. In this study, a total of 567 CR-39-based radon detectors were installed in the selected schools. The average radon concentrations were found to be 90.0, 66.5 and 58.0 Bqm-3 in Halhul, Beit Umar and Alarrub camp schools, respectively. Based on the measured indoor radon data, the overall average effective dose for the studied area was found to be 0.31 mSvy-1. Reported values for radon concentrations and corresponding doses are lower than ICRP recommended limits for workplaces. The results show no significant radiological risk for the pupils and staff in the schools under investigation. Consequently, the health hazards related to radiation are expected to be negligible. Keywords: Radon concentration, Alpha particles, Annual effective dose, Schools. PACs: 29.40.−n.

scholarly journals Use of radon barriers to reach an acceptable radon level

2020 ◽  
Vol 172 ◽  
pp. 05003
Author(s):  
Torben Valdbjørn Rasmussen ◽  
Thomas Cornelius
Keyword(s):  
Indoor Air ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Ventilation Rate ◽  
Test Method ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Radon Exposure ◽  
Air Penetration ◽  
Family House

A method is presented for theoretically estimating the necessary airtightness of a radon barrier. Radon barriers are used to balance the indoor radon concentration. To balance radon at an acceptable level, for a given ventilation rate for indoor air, a barrier must fulfil the requirements for airtightness and the indoor-air radon penetration from the soil, which is determined by the radon concentration in the soil gas. The method identifies the optimal radon barrier for a building. Ten different radon barriers are evaluated. Barriers include system solutions based on materials such as bitumen-based radon blockers, wet-room membranes, reinforced fix mortar pastes, and polyethylene membranes. The barriers are tested using a modified version of the test method NBI 167/02 radon membrane: test of airtightness. The radon barriers are evaluated for a typical building construction for a single-family house with radon exposure from the ground. An acceptable radon concentration of 100 Bq/m3 in indoor air is used in combination with a number of higher radon levels. The different radon barriers are evaluated in accordance with their ability to prevent air penetration from the ground. Furthermore, how mounting a barrier can affect the durability of a building is discussed, as the measures may create a far more vulnerable building.

scholarly journals A reconnaissance study of radon concentrations in Hamadan city, Iran

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 857-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. K. Gillmore ◽  
N. Jabarivasal
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Alluvial Fan ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Radiological Protection ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Western Iran ◽  
Surficial Deposits ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Abstract. This paper presents results of a reconnaissance study that used CR-39 alpha track-etch detectors to measure radon concentrations in dwellings in Hamadan, western Iran, significantly, built on permeable alluvial fan deposits. The indoor radon levels recorded varied from 4 (i.e. below the lower limit of detection for the method) to 364 Bq/m3 with a mean value of 108 Bq/m3 which is 2.5 times the average global population-weighted indoor radon concentration – these data augment the very few published studies on indoor radon levels in Iran. The maximum radon concentration in Hamadan occurs during the winter period (January to March) with lower concentrations during the autumn. The effective dose equivalent to the population in Hamadan is estimated from this study to be in the region of 2.7 mSv/y, which is above the guidelines for dose to a member of the public of 1 mSv/y suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in 1993. This study supports other work in a number of countries that indicates such permeable "surficial" deposits as being of intermediate to high radon potential. In western Iran, the presence of hammered clay floors, the widespread presence of excavated qanats, the textural properties of surficial deposits and human behaviour intended to cope with winds are likely to be important factors influencing radon concentrations in older buildings.

scholarly journals Short-Term Measurement of Indoor Radon Concentration in Northern Croatia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Ptiček Siročić ◽  
Davor Stanko ◽  
Nikola Sakač ◽  
Dragana Dogančić ◽  
Tomislav Trojko
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Ground Floor ◽  
Northern Croatia ◽  
Radon Concentrations

(1) Background: Radon concentrations in the environment are generally very low. However, radon concentrations can be high indoors and can cause some serious health issues. The main source of indoor radon (homes, buildings and other residential objects) can be soil under the house, while other sources can be construction materials, groundwater and natural gas. Radon accumulates mainly in the lower levels of the buildings (especially low-ventilated underground levels and basements). (2) Methods: in this paper, we have measured the indoor radon concentrations at 15 locations in various objects (basements and ground floor/1st floor rooms) in the area of northern Croatia. (3) Results: the results show a higher concentration of radon in the basement area in comparison to values measured in the ground floor and first-floor rooms. The arithmetic mean (AM) and geometric mean (GM) of basement rooms were 70.9 ± 38.8 Bq/m3 and 61.2 ± 2.2 Bq/m3 compared to ground floor and first-floor rooms 42.5 ± 30.8 Bq/m3 and 32.8 ± 2.9 Bq/m3, respectively. (4) Conclusions: results obtained (AM and GM values) are within the maximal allowed values (300 Bq/m3) according to the Euroatom Directive. However, there are periods when maximum radon concentration exceeds 300 Bq/m3. Indoor radon concentrations vary with the occupancy of the rooms and it is evident that the ventilation has significant effect on the reduction of concentration.

An approach to predicting indoor radon concentration based on depressurisation measurements

2020 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2092474
Author(s):  
James A McGrath ◽  
Miriam A Byrne
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Power Laws ◽  
Rate Coefficients ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Entry Rate ◽  
Energy Retrofit ◽  
Building Characteristics ◽  
Passive Measurements ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Exposure to radon is recognised as the second-leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. The passive measurements typically take up to three months to be representative of the annual radon concentration. A recently developed approach depressurises a dwelling to heighten the convective radon flux determining radon entry rate coefficients. The current study characterises the ventilation status, air tightness and eight selected hourly air change rates measurements, of a sample of naturally ventilated dwellings in Ireland. The household averaged air change rate ranged from 0.28 to 1.87 h−1 and airtightness measurements ranged from 4.830 to 9.423 m3 h−1 m−2 @ 50 Pa, depending on the building characteristics. The experimentally obtained values were used to parameterise a computational model for these selected dwellings and to predict radon concentrations. The radon entry rate power laws ranged from 0.18ΔP0.97 to 1.28ΔP1.18 Bq s−1. Probabilistic functions were generated based on the experimental data and predicted radon concentrations were within one standard deviation of the experimentally measured values in three out of four cases. The data generated can be used in modelling simulations to predict indoor radon concentrations based on local meteorological conditions, building characteristics, ventilation guidelines and energy-retrofit measurements.

Using geogenic radon potential to assess designation of radon priority areas in Ireland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meabh Hughes ◽  
Quentin Crowley
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Reference Level ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Soil Radon ◽  
Council Directive ◽  
Geological Information ◽  
S 100 ◽  
Radon Potential ◽  
Radon Concentrations

<p>Radon is a radioactive gas which emanates from rock, soil and water. Radon concentrations in the<br>atmosphere are generally very low (typically <5 Bq m-3), however it can occur at much higher levels<br>in soil (typically 10’s-100’s kBq m-3), or enclosed spaces such as buildings and caves (typically 10’s-<br>100’s Bq m-3). Exposure to radon and its daughter products is associated with an elevated risk of<br>developing lung cancer. Ireland has a population weighted indoor radon concentration of 98 Bq m-3<br>resulting in an estimated 300 annual lung cancer cases per year, representing approximately 12% of<br>the annual lung cancer cases. A national-scale legislative radon-risk map has a 10 x 10 km spatial<br>resolution and is based exclusively on indoor radon measurements (i.e. it does not contain any<br>geological information). The legislative map satisfies the European Council Directive<br>2013/59/EURATOM Basic Safety Standard, in that it defines “high radon” areas as those where >10%<br>of homes are estimated to exceed the national reference level of 200 Bq m-3. New buildings in such<br>areas are legally required to have a barrier, with low radon permeability installed.</p><p>This research focuses on a karstic region of SE Ireland, which features some exceptionally high<br>indoor radon concentrations (65,000 Bq m-3), even though it is not classified as a “high radon” area<br>on the national legislative map. Here we demonstrate the use of measuring sub-soil radon<br>concentrations and sub-soil permeability, in order to construct a radon potential (RP) map of the<br>area. Extremely high sub-soil radon concentrations (>1443 kBqm-3) and radon potential values<br>(>200) are spatially associated with Namurian shales, interbedded with limestone. Overall, we<br>classify the study area as high radon potential (RP >35) using this technique. We suggest all areas<br>underlain by Namurian shales in Ireland should undergo similar radon potential mapping, and if<br>necessary, should be re-designated as “high radon” areas. If deemed appropriate (i.e. where RP<br>>35), such a designation will help to protect the general public from the harmful effects of indoor<br>radon exposure, and will help to lower the incidence of radon-related lung cancer in these areas.</p>

A study of diurnal and short-term variations of indoor radon concentrations at the University of Michigan, USA and their correlations with environmental factors

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1051-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Xie ◽  
Maili Liao ◽  
Hanqing Wang ◽  
Kimberlee J. Kearfott
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Barometric Pressure ◽  
University Of Michigan ◽  
Outdoor Temperature ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Hourly Rainfall ◽  
The University ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Measurements of indoor radon concentrations and environmental parameters were collected continuously on an hourly basis over a three-month period (April 2012 to June 2012). These were performed both in a well-ventilated ground floor laboratory and in the unventilated basement directly below it in a two-storey building at the University of Michigan, USA. The diurnal variations of indoor radon concentration were investigated along with their correlations to the environmental parameters. The results showed that in the laboratory with typical air exchange, the highest radon values appeared in the early morning while lower values emerged in the afternoon. A similar time-course was followed by radon concentrations in the basement with stagnant air. The day-average radon concentrations in the laboratory ranged from 27 ± 2 Bq m−3 to 54 ± 5 Bq m−3, with the overall mean of 37 ± 6 Bq m−3 over the three-month data collection period. The overall basement average, 900 ± 92 Bq m−3 is significantly higher than the population-weighted world average value of 39 Bq m−3. For the ground-level laboratory, the indoor humidity, outdoor temperature and indoor–outdoor temperature difference were positively correlated with indoor radon. The indoor radon negatively correlated with outdoor barometric pressure, wind speed and indoor–outdoor barometric pressure differences. However, for the unventilated basement, the only statistically significant correlation of indoor radon concentration was a positive one with hourly rainfall.

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