Radon Concentration In Dwellings Research Articles

Study of radium content and radon exhalation rates in raw building materials used in southern India

As a potential source of indoor radiation arising from radon, a range of building materials (white cement, gray cement, gravel, gypsum, granite, marble, vitrified tile, and brick) were studied for the specific activity of radium and radon gas exhalation rates. The activity of radium was determined using scintillation gamma-ray spectrometry. Exhalation rates were assessed using passive and active measurement methods. Radon mass exhalation rates from powdered building materials and radon surface exhalation rates from slab-type building materials were measured. Activity concentrations of 226Ra in powder and slab-type building materials were found in the range of (1.12 – 14.98) Bqkg−1 and (17 – 308) Bqkg−1, respectively. 222Rn mass exhalation rates (mBqkg−1h−1) from the building materials were in the range of 15.0 ± 0.8 (gray cement) to 1.1 ± 0.1 (gravel). Surface exhalation rates (mBqm−2h−1) for slab-type materials have a range of 317 ± 9 (brick) to 8 ± 2 (marble). Strong positive correlations were found between the specific activity of radium and radon mass exhalation rates (r = 0.9408) and radon surface exhalation rates (r = 0.7167) for building materials investigated. Obtained data indicates that the building materials used influence indoor radon concentration in dwellings.

Assessment of Natural Radiation Exposure Due to 222Rn and External Radiation Sources: Case of the Far North, Cameroon.

This paper assesses public exposure to natural radioactivity from radon and external radiation sources in the Far North region, Cameroon, and studies the correlation between radon data obtained using several techniques. The RADTRAK, RadonEye, and Markus 10 detectors were used to measure radon concentrations in dwellings and soil, respectively. To understand radon variations in the study area, a correlation coefficient between radon in soil and in dwellings was determined. The ambient equivalent dose rate was measured using a RadEye PRD-ER, and the effective doses from internal and external radiation were determined. In soil, 20% of the measuring points had a concentration above 50 kBq m-3, the action value for radon exposure from soil according to Swedish Radiation Protection Institute regulations. After 90 d of measurement using RADTRAK, half of the concentrations in the dwellings were greater than or equal to 160 Bq m-3, which is above the WHO reference level of 100 Bq m-3. The ambient equivalent dose rate and the external and internal radiation effective dose were 0.08 μSv h-1, 0.6 mSv y-1, and 2.86 mSv y-1, respectively. These results reveal a strong correlation between the radioactivity level of a locality and its geological and mineralogical structure. Although these different results in general do not present a very high risk of radiological exposure for the public, it is nevertheless necessary that the rules of radiation protection are respected in order to reduce it.

Assessment of Seasonal Radon Concentration in Dwellings and Soils in Selected Areas in Ga East, Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

Seasonal radon levels have been studied in dwellings and soils in selected areas in Ga East, Greater Accra Region of Ghana using LR-115-type II (SSNTDs). This study was conducted to determine the seasonal correlation between soil and dwelling radon concentrations. Detectors were exposed from January to March and April to June, for dry and wet seasons, respectively. Overall, indoor radon was 133.4 ± 6.7 Bqm−3 and 72.1 ± 3.6 Bqm −3 for wet and dry seasons. The estimated annual effective dose to the lung received by the occupants at Paraku Estate, Dome, and Kwabenya was 6.9 ± 0.4, 7.2 ± 0.5, and 9.8 ± 0.8 mSvy−1 for the wet season and 3.8 ± 0.2, 4.3 ± 0.2, and 4.6 ± 0.3 mSvy−1 for the dry season. On average, the soil radon concentration was found to be 0.96 ± 0.07 kBqm−3 and 2.24 ± 0.01 kBqm−3 for wet and dry seasons. To determine the correlation between soil and dwelling radon, a positive Pearson correlation coefficient value R = (0.74) and R = (0.66) was obtained representing the dry and wet seasons. To test the statistical significance between soil and dwelling radon, P < 0.05 was obtained, indicating a statically significant relationship between the two.

Radon Concentrations in Dwellings in the Mining Area-Are There Observed Effects of the Coal Mine Closure?

The article presents the results of radon research, carried out in the area of the mining commune in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB), Poland. Past investigations in the 1990s on radon concentrations in buildings, located within the mining area, showed that the indoor radon concentrations measured in the area affected by mining were higher than in buildings located outside that area. Currently, all underground hard coal mines within the boundaries of the observed commune have been closed. In 2020, after the closure of the last active mine, radon measurements were started again. The current results of indoor radon concentrations were compared with the archival results from the 1990s. It was found that the radon concentration increased significantly in the basements of buildings where measurements were made in 1990, 2020, and 2021: the maximum values were 260 Bq/m3, 644 Bq/m3, and 1041 Bq/m3, respectively. Therefore, these questions were posed: Do the mine closure processes increase radon migration? How long is the period of the occurrence of changes in radon concentrations in buildings after the cessation of mining operations?

Radon risk assessment and mitigation deadlines

Background: Radon is a radioactive natural gas that is the leading cause of death from lung cancer in non-smokers. It is responsible for the highest share of the yearly effective doses a person is exposed to, and, in many cases, it is the most important indoor pollutant. National regulations on radon typically use derived reference levels, except for occupationally exposed workers that are monitored using a graded approach (e.g. in Switzerland and EU). However, in some countries, radon concentrations in dwellings or workplaces are high and the effective doses are comparable, and even greater than those measured in occupational workplaces. The times spent in different places and the presence of children or disabled people (that usually spend more time indoor) bring a need for assessing the risks of indoor radon exposure using a graded approach for both dwellings and workplaces. It is essential to highlight that the Covid-19 pandemic made more people work from home, and this new situation may be permanent for some workers.&#x0D; Objective and Design: On this basis, the objectives of this work are to demonstrate the importance of adequate monitoring of natural radioactivity, simulate effective doses due to radon with the new effective dose coefficients (EDCs) proposed by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) (publication 137), show case studies that illustrate the need for effective dose calculation and propose a method to set radon mitigation deadlines for buildings with high radon activity concentrations. Moreover, this work will shed light in the question about the possible need for new radon reference levels after the new EDCs were proposed.&#x0D; Conclusions: One important outcome of this work is the application of the dose approach in a case study conducted in a dwelling, the measurements and calculations show high annual effective doses (up to 350 mSv/year).

Alpha track distribution on lateral wall of cylindrical radon diffusion chamber

Cylindrical diffusion chamber with solid state nuclear track detector placed at the bottom of the chamber is frequently used device for measuring radon concentration in dwellings. In this work, the diffusion chamber with CR-39 detector was modeled to determine track distribution on the lateral (cylinder) wall of the chamber and compare track density between cylinder wall and bottom. Model is based on the diffusion, deposition and decay of radon and its progeny in diffusion chamber. Equations for criteria of track visibility and track density were derived. Along with theoretical model, measurements were performed to verify the theoretical results. Three different chambers with CR-39 detectors slabs attached along the cylinder wall were investigated. It was found that alpha track density on cylinder wall is not uniform and depends on the shape and size of the chamber. Deviation of track density along cylinder wall was up to 30% for chambers used in this work. Sensitivity of the cylinder wall was found to be almost the same as the sensitivity of the bottom. In comparison with the experiment, theoretical results give good predictions. Along with previous results of the authors where bottom track density was modeled, presented model can be used for calibration and optimization of the diffusion chambers used for radon measurements.

CERCETĂRI CU PRIVIRE LA DEZVOLTAREA UNEI METODOLOGII DE STUDIERE A INTERACȚIUNII RADON X FUMAT CA FACTOR TRIGGER ÎN DECLANȘAREA CANCERULUI BRONHOPULMONAR

Objectives. Residential exposure to radon is the second risk factor for lung cancer triggering for smokers and the first – for non-smokers. The obtaining reliable result in this area requires large-scale epidemiological scientific studies with the appropriate patient samples, but the results of some studies are controversial. The synthetic analysis of the specialized literature served as a basis for the methodology development to study the interaction of radon x smoking as a trigger factor in the occurrence of lung cancer at smokers in the Republic of Moldova. Material and methods. Global experience on the methodology for studying the interaction radon x smoking was examined about 30 publications on platforms of ResearchGate, Pubmed, BioMedCentral, RSCI, European Commission Webgate, WHO, AIEA, etc. A descriptive synthesis of current approaches to the development and implementation of research methods for studying the radon x smoking interaction on the triggering of bronchopulmonary cancer was performed. Results. A few researches have focused on the study of the effect of synergic exposure of radon/smoke on the occurrence of lung cancer. A review showed that the main methods for studying this phenomenon are and sociological. Combining the studied approaches and basing on the experience of international research, the methodology for estimating the interaction of radon x smoking on triggering the bronchopulmonary cancer was developed. Two directions are proposed in the research methods: (1) statistical with the use of smokers' data in the Republic of Moldova, radon concentration in dwellings and morbidity/mortality indices and (2) case-control with the use of the long-term study questionnaire in collaboration with the Institute of Oncology. Conclusions. The development of a methodological approach to the study of the radon x smoking interaction on the occurrence of bronchopulmonary cancer will allow the Public Health System to develop tools to control/prevent/reduce this disease.

Control of the Health Risk of Radon Exposure in the Republic of Moldova

The paper presents the results of a national radon survey conducted in the context of the Republic of Moldova. The study included about 2500 homes of different types, located in urban and rural localities in different areas of the country. The RADTRAK2 detectors kindly provided by the RADONOVA laboratory, Uppsala, Sweden, for the MOL9007 project funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been used. The exposure period was 90 days. The measured radon concentrations are the following: the average (±standard deviation) 252.8 ± 215.9 Bq/m3; the range (minimum–maximum) 10–1480 Bq/m3; the median 200 Bq/m3 and the geometric mean (± geometric standard deviation) 158.5 ± 3.0 Bq/m3. The results of the study allowed mapping indoor radon and identifying localities with increased radon concentrations. In order to reduce the high radon concentrations in places recording &gt;300 Bq/m3, appropriate measures have been proposed according to the legislation in force. The cluster analysis showed positive links between the radon concentration in dwellings and the incidence of respiratory diseases, especially the bronchopulmonary cancer in the country.

Indoor radon, external dose rate and assessment of lung cancer risk in dwellings: the case of Ebolowa town, Southern Cameroon

ABSTRACT The present work reports indoor Radon-222 activity concentration measurements, external gamma dose rate measurements, and assessment of cancer risk in the different dwellings in Ebolowa town, southern Cameroon. The geological formations of this studied area are mainly granites. This studied area extends over the equatorial climatic zone. The mean temperature of the zone varies from 25°C to 26°C with two rainy and two dry seasons with a relative humidity of (70–80) % recorded throughout the year. The indoor radon activity concentrations were carried out using RADTRACK2 devices, which are the alpha track detectors made of CR-39 plastic films contained in an antistatic black holder. Each device was hung in an inhabited room of each selected dwelling for an average period of three months. Radon concentrations in dwellings ranged between (23 ± 10) Bq m–3 and (2620 ± 480) Bq m–3 with an arithmetic mean of 135.6 Bq m–3 and a geometric mean of 63 Bq m–3. The estimated annual effective doses due to external gamma exposure ranged from (0.15 ± 0.01) mSv y−1 to (0.38 ± 0.06) mSv y−1 with an average value of 0.26 mSv y−1. The estimated annual effective dose due to indoor radon ranged between 0.43 mSv y−1 and 49.6 mSv y−1 with an arithmetic mean of 2.6 mSv y−1. This value was below the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended action level. The Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) ranged from 1.39% to 158% with a mean value of 8.2%. According to these results, cancer risk due to inhalation of radon-222 must be further investigated in the population living in Ebolowa town.

Radon study around earthquake affected areas of Nepal

Indoor radon concentrations were measured in dwellings of the earthquake-affected areas of Kathmandu valley, Gorkha, and Sindhupalchowk districts of Nepal using passive radon dosimeter LR115, a Solid State Nuclear Track Detector, SSNTD. The radon concentrations in dwellings of Kathmandu valley ranged from 11±6 Bq/m3 to 135±26 Bq/m3 with a mean of 67.63 Bq/m3. For Gorkha, it ranged from 18±7 Bq/m3 to 363±65 Bq/m3 with an average of 104.64 Bq/m3 while minimum, maximum and average radon concentrations for Sindhupalchowk were 14±6 Bq/m3, 397±71 Bq/m3, and 78.46 Bq/m3 respectively. The average annual effective dose to the inhabitants of Kathmandu valley, Gorkha, and Sindhupalchowk districts was calculated as 1.46 mSv/y, 2.26 mSv/y, and 1.69 mSv/y respectively. These annual doses were well below the action level of 10 mSv/y recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection which implies no significant radiological health hazards. Also, Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk and Lungs Cancer Cases per year per million people were determined.&#x0D; BIBECHANA 18 (2) (2021) 61-67

Influence of climate, building and residential factors on radon levels in ground-floor dwellings in Montenegro

After year-long measurements with CR-39 detectors, nationwide radon survey was performed in 953 homes ? 0.5 % of all permanently inhabited dwellings in Montenegro. Influence of 11 factors (area, climate, type of house, year of construction, basement, foundation slab, number of stories, building materials, window frames, heating, and smoking) and 35 their 35 categories on the radon concentrations in 732 ground-floor dwellings was analyzed using descriptive, univariate and multivariate methods. Univariate analysis dropped influence of the two factors: heating and smoking. It reveals that, on average, radon concentrations in ground-floor dwellings differ at 95 % confidence level in urban and rural areas, in family houses and apartment buildings, in houses with and without basement, and in dwellings with window frames made of wood and PVC/Al. In Cf climate zone they differ from those in Cs and Df zones. Only two pairs of construction periods differ in mean radon concentrations in dwellings: 1980-1999 with 1900-1944, and with 1964-1979. Houses with one, two or three stories have almost equal average radon levels, which are higher than in buildings with more than three stories. Mean value of radon concentrations in houses made of stone are higher than in houses made of concrete, or bricks, or wood. Multivariate analysis revealed that six of the analyzed factors: area, climate, type of house, presence of basement, number of stories, and building materials simultaneously have significant relationships (p &lt; 0.05) with radon concentrations in dwellings on ground floor in Montenegro.

Radon in houses of Kowary – Sudety Mountains, Poland

Abstract The presence of uranium makes the Kowary area characterized by an increased concentration of radon in the air and the living houses. Measurements of periodic radon concentrations in dwellings of Kowary were carried out three times in the last 20 years. It can be observed that 20 years ago level of radon concentrations in houses of Kowary were lower than today. Measurements carried out in Kowary over 20 years have shown that residents are exposed to radon concentrations, which often exceed 300 Bq m−3 – a reference level recommended by the European Union. The present geometric mean of radon concentration in houses of Kowary (260 Bq m−3) exceeds the geometric mean of radon concentration of buildings in the rest of Poland (142 Bq m−3).

A survey of 222Rn concentrations in dwellings of the town of Metsovo in North-western Greece

A radon survey has been carried out of indoor radon concentrations in dwellings ocated in the town of Metsovo, in north-western Greece. To measure indoor radon ioncentrations, CR-39 detectors were installed in randomly selected houses and were exposed :or about 3 months, during summer and winter. Also gamma spectroscopy measurements of he soil's radium content were performed. The indoor radon concentration levels varied from [7.6 to 750.4 Bq m-3, while the radium concentration of soil varied from 4.9 to 97.1 Bq m"3. Seasonal variation of the radon levels and the influence of house features and sou are liscussed.

RESULTS OF RADON INSPECTION OF SETTLEMENTS COMPROMISED DUE TO DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE INTO THE TECHA RIVER

During past decades, specialists perform an epidemiological observation of the population exposed to the impact of radioactive discharges into the Techa River. The Techa River cohort studies have identified excess cases of leukemia and solid cancers associated with radiation exposure. At the same time natural sources of radiation, such as radon and its decay products, known to be significant human radiation exposure factor, are not sufficiently studied on this territory. The purpose of the study is to assess the mean value and the distribution indices of radon concentration in 14 settlements affected by radioactive contamination. Radon inspection in settlements located on the Techa River (Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions) was executed. The measurements were performed in 511 dwellings. For radon inspection there were applied detectors based on LR-115 Kodak Track. The analysis shows the sample both to be representative and allow to estimate radon exposure for inhabitants. The average radon concentration in dwellings is 150 Bq/m3, which results in an annual effective dose of 11 mSv. The estimated number of dwellings with radon concentrations above ECC radon action level 200 Bq/m3 is 19. The factors affecting indoor radon accumulation were established. The radiation dose due to the inhalation of radon, accumulated over a long period of time, seems to be generally comparable to doses associated with the radioactive discharges into the Techa River during the 1949-1956.

Radon concentrations in multi-story buildings in Montenegro

Change of radon concentrations in dwellings with floor level was studied in six multi-story buildings, in four towns of Montenegro with different climate conditions. The annual aver- age radon activity concentrations in 35 dwellings are found to be very low, mostly at a level of 20-30 Bqm?3. Absorbed gamma dose rates in these dwellings are in the range of 14-58 nGyh?1. The low radon concentrations are a consequence of a good tightness of the structures in contact with the ground and a small contribution of building materials to radon indoors. A clear general trend of changes in radon concentrations with floor level is not observed. In most of the dwellings on different floors in the multi-story building radon concentration varies very little, mostly within measurement error. A small decrease in radon concentration is noted between the two or three floors closest to the ground, but only in some of the buildings. Therefore, a decrease of indoor radon concentration with floor level cannot be considered as a general characteristic of multi-story buildings. Although the seasonal radon variations have not been in the focus of this study, it was found that the average radon activity concentrations in dwellings of the multi-story buildings are higher in warmer than in cooler half-year period, what is contrary to the general rule for homes in the world and in Montenegro as well.

A Holistic Approach to Assessment of Population Exposure to Radiation: Challenges and Initiatives of a Regulatory Authority.

A regulatory authority for radiation safety should continuously evaluate and improve the national safety framework, in line with current requirements and standards. In this context, the Greek Atomic Energy Commission initiated a series of concerted actions. The radiation dose to the population due to public and medical exposures was assessed. The assessment of dose due to public exposure was based on measurements of radon concentrations in dwellings, radionuclide concentrations in environmental samples, and air dose rates; the assessment of dose due to medical exposure was based on dose measurements for typical examinations or procedures and data on their frequency. The mean effective dose to a member of the population was found to be 4.5 mSv (1.8 mSv and 2.7 mSv from medical and public exposures, respectively). Regarding occupational exposure, aircrew dose assessment, eye lens monitoring, and the national dose registry were significantly improved. With respect to artificial tanning (sun beds), the ultraviolet radiation produced was assessed and the practices followed were observed. Results demonstrated exceedance of the 0.3 W m erythema effective irradiance limit set in European Union standards by 63.5% of the sun beds measured, along with general noncompliance with standards. An overarching activity was the upgrade of the Greek Atomic Energy Commission information system in order to collect and disseminate radiation data electronically, launch a networking strategy for interaction with stakeholders, and facilitate the process of regulatory control. In response to the above findings, regulatory actions have been initiated.

Radiation protection considerations on radon and building materials radioactivity in Near Zero Energy Buildings

Recent updates of the E.U. Basic Safety Standards, stated in the Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM, are focusing on risks related to radon gas concentration inside dwellings and working places, as well as radioactivity of building materials. In particular, the new E.U. Basic Safety Standards are based on last recommendations from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), and from the World Health Organization (WHO), which consider that radon issues, and external irradiation from building material, as topic aspects to population’s health. Further, ICRP Publication 126, by using bio-kinetics models for estimating the effects of radon intakes, has drastically reduced the reference level for radon concentration in dwellings and working places.Radon issues have recently gained particular attention due to current orientations in constructing buildings with energy consumptions lower and lower. Radon gas emerges from the ground, penetrates building’s basements, and accumulates itself into the indoor air, being breathed by people.Taking care of windows’ airtightness allows the radon concentration to build up, in some cases beyond reference levels, together with other chemical pollutants, i.e. combustion residues and solvents.On considering that Council Directive 2013/59 EURATOM has to be transposed into law by each EU Member State by February 2018, it is recommended that radon issues have to be considered during the design phase of the building construction, particularly for NZEB applications. Further, external irradiation from building materials, i.e. tuff, marbles, tiles, pozzolana, coal ashes and so on, may be a reason of concern also.This paper describes radiation protection issues focusing on public and domestic environments, where people are supposed to spend a considerable amount of time. About radon, real measurements are shown, both in domestic and working scenarios. Dealing with external irradiation due to building materials, calculations and simulations have been performed and results are presented.

Radon, smoking and HPV as lung cancer risk factors in ecological studies

Objectives: Cohen’s ecological analyses revealed negative correlation between the lung cancer mortality and average indoor radon concentration in the US counties, that contradicts to linear non-threshold (LNT) model and is inconsistent with results of case-control studies. The aim of this study was to analyze dependence between radon exposure and lung cancer mortality rate taking into account more complete data on smoking and new findings on association of the lung cancer with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.Materials and methods: Information on the cancer rates in the US counties and Russian oblasts, smoking prevalence and indoor radon concentration was found in literature. The cervix cancer incidence rate was used as surrogate of the HPV infection prevalence. The analysis included calculation of the coefficients of linear dependence between radon exposure and lung cancer mortality rate with adjustment to smoking and HPV infection prevalence.Results: After adjustment for the most relevant data on smoking and HPV infection, correlation between the lung cancer mortality and indoor radon was found to be consistent with results of the case control studies.Conclusions: Analysis of geographically aggregated data on the lung cancer mortality and radon concentration in dwellings with adjustment to the significant risk factors confirms both the linear non-threshold dependency and results obtained in studies with individual accounting for the smoking and radon.

DETERMINATION OF RADON CONCENTRATIONS IN DWELLING IN ACEH

Abstract. Determination of radon concentrations in dwelling in Aceh region by using a passive method has been conducted. In this research, area considered was divided into several sections called grid. Each grid represents an area of 60 km x 60 km in which, depend on public response, 6-10 passive radon monitors were installed. The number of passive radon monitors installed in Aceh is 200 units, and they can be taken back as many as 191 units or 95.50 %. The passive radon monitors have stayed in dwelling for 3-4 months and after period of the exposure, those radon monitors were taken back and brought to laboratory for further process, and then the track were read and the radon concentrations were calculated. Furthermore, data of radon concentration in dwelling and GPS location were put into MapInfo Software v.10.5 to create a map of radon concentration. The results of the analysis of the radon concentration in dwelling in Aceh demonstrate that the concentrations are in the range of 3.32 ± 0.23 Bq/m3 up to 68.30 ± 4.83 Bq/m3. This result was lower than the radon reference level determined by UNSCEAR, which was 300 Bq/m3. The data are useful in the regional extension and development plans, as well as the basis for health policy analysis due to the existence of radon in Indonesia. Furthermore, these data will become the contribution of Indonesia in the international world through UNSCEAR, IAEA and WHO. The data obtained can be used as partial data in creating a map of radon concentration in residents’ houses in Aceh, as a part of the map of radon concentration in Indonesia. Keywords: radon concentration, dwelling, Aceh, passive methodREFERENSI UNSCEAR, 1996, Natural Radiation Exposures, Forty Fifth Session, VienaIAEA, 2005, Radiation, People and the Environment, Viena.Bunawas, Emlinarti, M. Affandi, 1996, Penentuan laju lepasan radon dari bahan bangunan menggunakan metode pasip dengan metode jejak nuklir, Prosiding PPIKRL, PSPKR-BATAN, 20-21 Agustus 1996, pp. 16-21.Sutarman, L. Nirwani, Emlinarti dan A. Warsona, 2005, Penentuan konsentrasi gas radon dan thoron menggunakan detektor film LR-115 di DKI Jakarta dan sekitarnya, Prosiding PPI–PDIPTN P3TM-BATAN, Jogjakarta, p. 212-221.M. Affandi, D. Iskandar, dan Bunawas, 1996, Radon di Kompleks Perumahan BATAN, Presiding PIKRL, PSPKR-BATAN, p. 262-265Wahyudi, Kusdiana and D. Iskandar, 2016, Mapping of Indoor Radon Concentration in Houses Located in South Sulawesi Province, 2nd International Conference on the SERIR2 14th Biennial Conference of the SPERA, Bali, CTRSM-BATAN, p. 35-38.E. Pudjadi, Wahyudi, A. Warsona and Syarbaini, 2016, Measurement of Indoor Radon-Thoron Concentration in Dwellings of Bali Island, Indonesia, 2nd International Conference on the SERIR2 14th Biennial Conference of the SPERA, Bali, CTRSM-BATAN, p. 186-192.M.H.Magalhães, et al., 2003. Radon-222 in Brazil: an outline of indoor and outdoor measurements. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 67(2), pp.131–143.F.S. Al-Saleh, 2007. Measurements of indoor gamma radiation and radon concentrations in dwellings of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 65(7), pp.843–848.

Local probability of indoor radon concentration to exceed the threshold estimated from geogenic radon potential

Indoor radon has been recognized as an important air pollutant. Based on epidemiological evidence, it is estimated that indoor radon is the second cause of lung cancer after smoking. As a consequence, one tries to limit exposure through regulations concerning the remediation of the existing and prevention of future exposure. In this context, an essential task is the delineation of areas in which it can be expected with certain confidence that time-averaged indoor radon concentrations in dwellings and workplaces exceed the reference level. These are called radon priority areas to denote that these are areas in which remedial and preventive action has to be implemented with priority. There are different definitions of radon priority areas and different methods to estimate them from data. In Germany, the current approach uses the geogenic radon potential as the predictor. However, legal reference levels pertain to indoor radon concentration, not to the geogenic radon potential. One therefore has to identify derived reference levels for geogenic radon potential through statistical association of both quantities. This paper presents a method to derive the local probability that indoor radon concentration exceeds a threshold, given the local geogenic radon potential. The relationship can be used to derive geogenic radon potential reference levels which in turn serve to define radon priority areas.