Multi-level continuous monitoring of indoor radon activity

Abstract

We present the results of an experiment taking place inside the geophysical museum of Rocca di Papa (Rome, Italy), where the high radon levels detected might pose a risk to the health of workers and of the public audience. As a first step towards the mitigation of potential exposure risk, four active sensors were installed at different floors of the building, in order to continuously monitor not only radon exhalation from the soil but also its transport from the ground up to elevated floors. Collecting more than three years of data of radon concentration enables us to identify fluctuations over both short and seasonal scales and to elucidate the relation between radon variations and changes of internal temperature and relative humidity. The analysis of such dataset reveals how the healthiness of indoor environments in terms of radon concentration is controlled by a number of factors, including the environmental conditions and the use of heating and ventilation systems. Finally, the continuous radon monitoring at different levels of the building provides a unique chance to trace the vertical radon diffusion, allowing to make a first-order estimate of upward radon velocity.