Abstract
A radon (222Rn) survey at a workplace in a public building in the town of Diva~a, Slovenia, showed radon concentrations as high as 20,000 Bq m–3, with average values of 9020 Bq m–3 in winter and 2890 Bq m–3 in summer. The main radon source is an under-floor channel connecting rooms on the ground floor. Elevated radon levels at the site are possibly related to a fracture zone connected to a nearby fault.
Highlights
Radon is a radioactive noble gas appearing in radioactive decay of radium in the natural radioactive decay chains in the Earth’s crust, i.e., 222Rn isotope (α decay, halflife τ = 3.82 days) from 226Ra in the 238U chain, 220Rn isotope (α decay, τ = 55 s) from 224Ra in the 232Th chain and 219Rn isotope (α decay, τ = 3.92 s) from 223Ra in the 235U chain (N e ro, 1988)
This provides the basis for using radon in geological, tectonic and seismic research, the main scientific interest is directed toward its detrimental effects on human health, being aware that more than half the effective doses from all natural radioactive sources are caused by breathing in air contaminated by radon and its radioactive descendants (UNSCEAR, 2000)
Diurnal variations of indoor radon concentration in the TKC room in winter and summer 2006 are shown in Figs. 3a and 3b, respectively
Summary
In the town of Diva~a, indoor air radon concentrations higher than the Slovene national limit of 1000 Bq m–3 for workplaces (ULRS, 2004) have been found in several public and private buildings. For this study a public building was selected, and radon monitored in various seasons in indoor air at workplaces and in soil gas nearby.
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