Initial results of indoor radon measurements within the German radon studies

Abstract

This paper describes radon distributions in dwellings for selected regions in Germany which were measured in epidemiologic studies on the risk of lung cancer due to radon. The indoor radon concentrations were measured in living rooms and in bedrooms with three types of passive integrating devices, using activated charcoal for short-term measurements up to 3 d and nuclear track etching for long-term measurements up to 1 y. The latter determined an overall median radon concentration of 47 Bq/m 3 in the living room and of 42 Bq/m 3 in the bedroom. Generally, charcoal detectors for short periods measure higher concentrations than alpha-track detectors for long periods. The inhabitants of the houses were asked about living conditions and house characteristics. An analysis of variance was conducted to find out which of these parameters have a strong influence on the radon concentration. It was found that type of house, year of construction, and existence of a basement are most important. Ventilation habits play a major role in the bedroom, as does the type of heating in the livng room.