Survey Of Radon Concentrations Research Articles

Survey of Radon Concentrations in Air at Dong Pao Rare Earth Mine, Lai Chau, Vietnam

Survey of Radon Concentrations in Air at Dong Pao Rare Earth Mine, Lai Chau, Vietnam

Lung cancer incidence attributable to residential radon exposure in Finland

This study aimed to estimate (1) the number of avoidable lung cancer cases attributable to residential radon in Finland in 2017, separately by age, sex, dwelling type and smoking status, (2) the impact of residential radon alone and the joint effect of residential radon and smoking on the number of lung cancers and (3) the potential decrease in the number of radon-attributable lung cancers if radon concentrations exceeding specified action levels (100, 200 and 300 Bq m−3) would have been mitigated to those levels. Population-based surveys of radon concentrations and smoking patterns were used. Observed radon levels were contrasted with 25 Bq m−3 representing a realistic minimum level of exposure. Lung cancer risk estimates for radon and smoking were derived from literature. Lastly, the uncertainty due to the estimation of exposure and risk was quantified using a computationally derived uncertainty interval. At least 3% and at most 8% of all lung cancers were estimated as being attributable to residential radon. For small cell carcinoma, the proportion of cases attributable to radon was 8–13%. Among smokers, the majority of the radon-related cases were attributable to the joint effect of radon and smoking. Reduction of radon exposure to 100 Bq m−3 action level would eliminate approximately 30% of radon-attributable cases. Estimates were low compared with the literature, given the (relatively high) radon levels in Finland. This was mainly due to the lower radon levels and higher smoking prevalence in flats than in houses and a more realistic point of comparison, factors which have been ignored in previous studies. The results can guide actions in radon protection and in prevention of lung cancers.

Radon in Finnish underground mines 2011–2019

Radon measurements in Finnish underground mines were started in 1972. Since 1992, regular radon inspections by the competent authority have been carried out in all underground mines. During these inspections, several grab samples are taken from the air, which are later measured in the laboratory. This is a follow-up survey of radon concentrations in the air of the underground mines. The average radon concentrations in the mines between the years 2011 and 2019 varied from 90 to 1100 Bq m−3. Overall, the occupational radon exposure in the Finnish underground mines has remained at a low level from the 1990s onwards. In recent years, high radon concentrations have been observed only in those mines where active mining has ceased. Compared to other recent studies in mines in other countries, radon concentrations in Finnish mines are approximately at the same level. Uncertainties relating to infrequent grab sampling have been recognised and the authority is now testing personal radon detectors that may be used for the exposure assessment in the future.

Survey of Radon Concentrations in the University of Granada in Southern Spain.

The objective of this pilot study was to gather and analyze data on radon concentrations in workplaces in three buildings of Granada University (Southern Spain) constructed in different centuries. All measurements were made at basement or ground floor level under normal use conditions except for one space (mineral store), in which measurements were compared between the door closed and open. Measurements were conducted during different time periods between October 2013 and March 2019 with a Radon-Scout PLUS portable Radonmonitor. The duration of continuous recordings at different sites ranged between 42 and 1104 h. Mean accumulated radon concentrations ranged between 12 and 95 Bq/m3, below the maximal level of 300 Bq/m3 set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Relatively high values were recorded in the oldest building (15th century), which was also poorly ventilated. Ventilation appeared to be an important factor in reducing radon levels, especially in areas less exposed to radon, such as Southern Spain.

FIRST RESULTS OF RADON MONITORING PROGRAM IN SLOVENIA ACCORDING TO EU EURATOM DIRECTIVE

In 2018 Slovenia adopted the new ordinance where the requirements of the Council of the European Union 2013/59 Euratom on radon were taken into account (2LIT). As the new ordinance requires systematic survey of radon concentrations in public institutions and dwellings in Slovenia, Ministry of Health announced two tenders for the radon surveys in 2018 and 2019. Zavod za varstvo pri delu (ZVD) successfully competed on both tenders. The tenders required measurements of radon concentrations in public institutions, mainly schools and kindergartens and in private dwellings every year in 24 municipalities which were recognised as radon prone areas. Besides these measurements ZVD as the authorised organisation measured radon concentration in companies all over Slovenia and private dwellings where owners wanted to know how high the radon concentration is and if some actions are required to lower it. The radon concentrations were measured with track etched detectors. The results of the survey are presented in the article as well as the difficulties we encountered during sending track etched detectors to people.

Indoor Radon Concentration Survey in Bank Basements in Three Nigerian Cities

Basement workplaces are considered as confined environment with challenging indoor air quality having higher than normal pollutants particularly that of soil gas origin. Radon a major soil gas infiltrates and accumulates within indoor spaces and becomes harmful in the absence of natural or mechanical ventilation. Radon level in bank basements in Ilorin, Lagos and Akure have been sampled and analysed in this study. The paper presents the investigations conducted to measure the radon concentration in the occupied basement component of the bank buildings. Most workers in basements are unaware of radon, and there is limited documented research on its health hazards in Nigeria. The survey parameters were radon concentrations, floor levels, geographical locations and the influence of atmospheric conditions. Corentium monitor, a continuous, digital radon monitor, in addition to, temperature meters and Prologue wireless weather station were used for the experiment. The result showed an indoor radon concentration and effective doses annual mean values of 23 Bq/m3 and 0.0896mSy/y respectively in the occupied basements.

Lung cancer incidence attributable to residential radon exposure in Alberta in 2012.

Radon is carcinogenic, and exposure to radon has been shown to increase the risk of lung cancer. The objective of this study was to quantify the proportion and number of lung cancer cases in Alberta in 2012 that could be attributed to residential radon exposure. We estimated the population attributable risk of lung cancer for residential radon using radon exposure data from the Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes from 2009-2011 and data on all-cause and lung cancer mortality from Statistics Canada from 2008-2012. We used cancer incidence data from the Alberta Cancer Registry for 2012 to estimate the total number of lung cancers attributable to residential radon exposure. Estimates were also stratified by sex and smoking status. The mean geometric residential radon level in Alberta in 2011 was 71.0 Bq/m3 (geometric standard deviation 2.14). Overall, an estimated 16.6% (95% confidence interval 9.4%-29.8%) of lung cancers were attributable to radon exposure, corresponding to 324 excess attributable cancer cases. The estimated population attributable risk of lung cancer due to radon exposure was higher among those who had never smoked (24.8%) than among ever smokers (15.6%). However, since only about 10% of cases of lung cancer occur in nonsmokers, the estimated total number of excess cases was higher for ever smokers (274) than for never smokers (48). With about 17% of lung cancer cases in Alberta in 2012 attributable to residential radon exposure, exposure reduction has the potential to substantially reduce Alberta's lung cancer burden. As such, home radon testing and remediation techniques represent important cancer prevention strategies.

Radon as a tracer of daily, seasonal and spatial air movements in the Underground Tourist Route “Coal Mine” (SW Poland)

The surveys of radon concentrations in the Underground Tourist Route “Coal Mine” were carried out using passive and active measurement techniques. Passive methods with application of Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors LR115 were used at 4 points in years 2004–2007 and at 21 points in year 2011. These detectors were exchanged at the beginning of every season in order to get information about seasonal and spatial changes of radon concentrations. The average radon concentration noted in this facility was 799 Bq m−3 and is consistent with radon concentrations noted in Polish coal mines.Seasonal variations, observed in this underground tourist route, were as follows: the highest radon concentrations were noted during summers, the lowest during winters, during springs and autumns intermediate but higher in spring than in autumn. The main external factor that affected seasonal changes of radon concentrations was the seasonal variation of outside temperature. No correlation between seasonal variations of radon concentrations and seasonal average atmospheric pressures was found.Spatial variations of radon concentrations corresponded with air movements inside the Underground Tourist Route “Coal Mine”. The most vivid air movements were noted along the main tunnel in adit and at the place located near no blinded (in the upper part) shaft.Daily variations of radon concentrations were recorded in May 2012 using RadStar RS-230 as the active measurement technique. Typical daily variations of radon concentrations followed the pattern that the highest radon concentrations were recorded from 8–9 a.m. to 7–8 p.m. and the lowest during nights. The main factor responsible for hourly variations of radon concentrations was the daily variation of outside temperatures. No correlations were found between radon concentration and other meteorological parameters such as atmospheric pressure, wind velocity or precipitation. Additionally, the influence of human factor on radon concentrations was noticed. As human factor, we consider open entrance door during restorations works carried out inside the underground facility.Comprehensive surveys of radon concentrations in the Underground Tourist Route “Coal Mine”, which included hourly, seasonal and spatial measurements, have revealed that radon can be the excellent tracer of air movements inside the underground facilities that are not equipped with mechanical ventilation system. The main external factor that affects hourly, seasonal and even spatial changes of radon concentrations inside Underground Tourist Route “Coal Mine” is the variation of outside temperature.The maximum effective dose received by employees during 2000 working hours in a year was 5.8 mSv y−1 and the minimum was 3.5 mSv y−1. Tourist guides, who usually spend underground about 1000 h y−1, received effective dose from 1.7 mSv y−1 to 2.3 mSv y−1. According to Polish Law, employees, receiving effective dose for occupational exposure higher than 1 mSv y−1 but below 6 mSv y−1, are allocated to category B of workers and the level of radiation in their place of work should be controlled and continuously monitored. The radiation monitoring system in the Underground Tourist Route “Coal Mine” does not exist. None of Polish tourist routes or caves has installed radiation monitoring system although effective doses received by employees, in some of them, exceed values defined by law.Effective dose received by tourist during one trip was lower than 0.001 mSv y−1 and risk of cancer induction was lower than 0.00001%. The probability, that tourists inside the Underground Tourist Route “Coal Mine” receive effective dose exceeding allowable annual limit for members of the public of 1 mSv y−1 does not exist. The Underground Tourist Route Coal Mine is a safe place for tourists from radiological point of view.

Housing Decoration Lower Indoor Radon Concentration Survey

Select a residential projects under construction in Chongqing for the study, testing on indoor radon concentration at different decorated stages. This survey found that indoor radon concentration values for the selected test points are lower than the national limits, meet the requirements. Through decoration, decoration materials such as cement mortar, latex paint, wallpaper, flooring and other ways to reduce indoor radon concentration is possible. The other hand, use of porcelain tiles will elevate indoor radon concentration, so you should master its radioactive contents in advance when you select the repair material, choose green materials as possible.

Indoor radon survey in Eastern Sicily

Abstract Inhalation of radon (Rn-222) and its progeny is one of the most significant sources of natural radiation exposure of the population. Nowadays, high radon exposures have been shown to cause lung cancer and many governments all over the world have therefore recommended that radon exposures in dwellings and indoor workplaces should be limited. Radon levels in buildings vary widely from area to area depending on local geology. This paper presents the results of a long-term survey of radon concentrations carried out from 2005 till 2010 in schools and dwellings of Eastern Sicily, using the solid-state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) technique. The investigated area shows medium-high indoor radon concentrations, higher than the Italian average of about 70 Bq/m 3 , with peaks of 500 Bq/m 3 or more in buildings near active faults. Fortunately, only a small fraction of the measurements, about 1.5% of total, was found greater than EU and Italian action limits for indoor and workplaces.

Assessment of long-term radon concentration measurement precision in field conditions (Serbian Schools) for a survey carried out by an international collaboration

In an international collaboration, a long-term radon concentration survey was carried out in schools of Southern Serbia with radon detectors prepared, etched and read-out in Italy. In such surveys it is necessary to evaluate measurement precision in field conditions, and to check whether quality assurance protocols were effective in keeping uncertainties under control, despite the complex organisation of measurements. In the first stage of the survey, which involves only some of the total number of municipalities, paired detectors were exposed in each monitored room in order to experimentally assess measurement precision. Paired passive devices (containing CR-39 detectors) were exposed for two consecutive 6-month periods. Two different measurement systems were used to read out CR-39s of the first and second period, respectively. The median of the coefficient of variation (CV) of the measured exposures was 8 % for 232 paired devices of the first 6-month period and 4 % for 242 paired devices of the second 6-month period, respectively. This difference was mainly due to a different track count repeatability of the two read-out systems, which was 4 and 1 %, respectively, as the median value of CV of repeated countings. The in-field measured precision results are very similar to the precision assessed in calibration conditions and are much lower than the room-to-room variation of radon concentration in the monitored schools. Moreover, a quality assurance protocol was followed to reduce extra-exposures during detector transport from Rome to schools measured and back.

Radon in Irish schools: the results of a national survey

This paper presents the results of a survey of radon concentrations in Irish primary andpost-primary schools. The objective of this survey was to assess the distribution of radon inIrish schools and to identify those requiring remedial work to reduce radon exposure tochildren and staff. All primary and post-primary schools were invited to participate in thesurvey. Indoor radon concentrations were measured during the academic year usingintegrating passive alpha track-etch detectors with a measurement period fromthree to nine months. The survey was carried out on a phased basis from 1998 to2004 and is one of the most comprehensive of its kind undertaken in Europe.Measurements were completed in 38 531 ground floor classrooms and offices in 3826schools, representing over 95% of the approximate 4000 primary and post-primaryschools in Ireland. Of these, 984 schools had radon concentrations greater than200 Bq m−3 in 3028 rooms and 329 schools had radon concentrations in excess of400 Bq m−3 in 800 rooms.The average radon concentration in schools was93 Bq m−3. This results in an annual average effective dose to an Irish child from exposure to radon of0.3 mSv per year, assuming that the long-term radon concentration is equal to the radonconcentration present during the working hours and that the annual average occupancy is1000 h per year.A programme of remediation of schools with radon concentrations above200 Bq m−3 has been put in place.

Radon concentrations in a spa in Serbia

The paper presents the results of indoor radon concentration survey in 201 homes and offices in Niska Banja (the Spa of Nis), a well-known health resort and a spa in the South-East of Serbia. Radon indoor concentrations were determined by active charcoal method, according to standard EPA procedure. The indoor radon concentrations were in the range of up to 200 Bq/m3 (47%), from 200–600 Bq/m3 (26%) and over 600 Bq/m3 (27%). Three areas of extremely high average radon concentrations were found (1340–4340 Bq/m3), with a maximum above 13,000 Bq/m3.The content of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 214Pb, 214Bi, 235U, 228Ac, 212Pb, 212Bi, 208Tl, 40K) and 137Cs, as well as the content of total uranium, thorium and potassium in mud used in peloidotherapy in the Health Institute “Niska Banja” was determined, too. The activities of the radionuclides were determined on an HPGe detector, by standard gamma spectroscopy. The results indicated considerably high amounts of total uranium and thorium (0.021 g/kg mud and 0.003 g/kg mud, respectively), due to the karsts origin of the soil.

Measurements to determine the radiological impact of uranium and thorium in soils in the darling scarp

In the early 1970s, it was noticed that the naturally occurring gamma radiation levels measured over the pisolitic laterite in the Darling scarp were some three times higher than gamma levels over sand in the Perth coastal plain in Western Australia. Analyses of soil samples taken in the scarp indicated that the main contributor was from the thorium decay chain (0.25 Bq g −1 ) with a lesser contribution from the uranium decay chain (0.07 Bq g −1). The thorium concentration exceeded the world range reported by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation Report to the General Assembly. It was considered prudent to carry out further radiological assessment from all likely radiation exposure pathways, including gamma, radon gas and thoron gas in the scarp. A survey of radon concentrations in homes showed the Darling scarp levels to be higher than the coastal plain. Later, passive monitors developed by NIRS in Japan showed that scarp thoron levels were higher than for the coastal plain. The total annual dose to individuals living in the scarp area was found to be 4.6 mSv while the dose to those living on the coastal plain was found to be 1.9 mSv.

Indoor radon concentration survey in Mexico

Indoor radon evaluations in specific regions of the country have been performed in an effort to assess the magnitude of the radon problem and its public health consequences. The survey of this paper covers four large non-tropical regions of north and central Mexico, and reports the results of measurements of indoor radon concentrations in houses of towns with between 100,001 and 500,000 inhabitants. The measurements were done by using passive detectors, namely, the closed-end-cup system with CR-39 polycarbonate chips as detector material. The measurements were performed throughout the two coldest seasons (between 5 and 20°C), winter and spring, in integration periods of 28 days covering the six month cycle. The results show a moderate average radon concentration below 200 Bq·m−3 with occasional higher values. This is very probably due to the climate conditions and the traditional habits of open door and window ventilation. The IFUNAM (Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) Laboratory, where the closed-end cup system for radon was developed, has gained experience though this survey and is willing to share it for future surveys at regional or national levels.

Radon in Quaternary Aquifers Related to Underlying Bedrock Geology

AbstractA survey of radon concentrations in water abstracted from 31 of Norway's largest waterworks, using ground water from Quaternary fluvial and glaciofluvial sediments, returned values of between 0.4 Bq/L and 83 Bq/L, with a median of 23 Bq/L. Significantly higher Rn concentrations were present in ground water from Quaternary aquifers underlain by gneissic and granitic lithologies compared with those underlain by metasandstones, phyllites and mica schists. Compared to the recommended national action level of 500 Bq/L and concentrations of up to 19,900 Bq/L, which have been detected in boreholes in Norwegian granite aquifers, the concentrations measured in Quaternary aquifers are regarded as unproblematic for consumers, although a more detailed assessment may be required for workers spending a lot of time in wellhead areas.

Radon in Norwegian Dwellings

The results of a large-scale survey of radon concentrations in Norwegian dwellings are reported. Measurements of radon have been made in a total of 7500 dwellings. The dwellings were randomly selected and the number in each municipality is proportional to its population. The measurements were performed using etched track detectors from the National Radiological Protection Board in the UK. One detector was placed in the main bedroom in each dwelling for 6 months. The annual average of radon concentration in Norwegian bedrooms is calculated to be 51 Bq.m-3. The frequency distribution is approximately log-normal with a geometric mean of 26 Bq.m-3 and about 4% of the bedrooms have concentrations above 200 Bq.m-3. The radon concentrations are found to be about 40% higher for bedrooms in single-family houses than in blocks of flats and other multi-family houses. In a large proportion of single-family houses the living room and the kitchen are located on the ground floor and the bedrooms on the first floor. An additional factor is that the winters of 1987–1988 and 1988–1989 were much warmer than normal. Taking these factors into account, the average radon concentration in Norwegian dwellings is estimated to be between 55 and 65 Bq.m-3.

Survey of radon concentrations in three italian towns

Radon-222 was measured in 187 dwellings in Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Orvieto. Samples were collected using activated carbon canisters, placed in basements and on the upper floors for at least 48 h in the period starting from January 1989 to July 1990. Gamma spectroscopy was used for the measurement of 222Rn and its progeny. The data for the three towns show a lognormal distribution. Owing to the high radium concentration in building materials and underlying soil, high radon concentrations were observed in Orvieto's dwellings. Additional measurements carried out in 22 public schools of Parma and Reggio Emilia showed moderate radon concentrations, while significant radon levels were recorded in 37 castles and ancient buildings in Parma and Reggio Emilia provinces.

Survey

A survey of radon concentrations in Dutch dwellings reveals a median value 0f 24 Bq/m 3, while no excessive high values were observed. Correlations between radon concentration and (combinations of) building parameters will be presented and discussed in terms of the various sourc