A Radon Generator/Delivery System

Abstract

A radon-generating system is described in which 222Rn, emanating from 226Ra stored in an aluminum containment vessel, may be pumped into a syringe for subsequent injection into a standard spinner flask containing tissue culture medium. The radium-containment vessel is sealed by an indium gasket and three metal bellows valves, one of which was used to fracture the glass capsule that contained 2.9 GBq of radium salt. A rotating piston pump transfers radon-enriched air from the radium-containment vessel to a delivery loop that includes a transfer syringe. The flow of air and radon through the loop is manipulated by three crossover ball valves, one of which may be set to fill the syringe. A charcoal trap is provided to collect residual radon left in the delivery loop after the transfer syringe has been filled. The protocol used to expose cells to radon and its progeny is described as well as the dosimetry that is used to estimate the dose delivered to the cells. A description of safety precautions taken in fabricating the generator and in conducting radiobiological studies is also presented.