scholarly journals Assessing the Impact of Housing Features and Environmental Factors on Home Indoor Radon Concentration Levels on the Navajo Nation

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2813
Author(s):  
Sheldwin A. Yazzie ◽  
Scott Davis ◽  
Noah Seixas ◽  
Michael G. Yost
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Decay Product ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Navajo Nation ◽  
Home Ventilation ◽  
Radon Gas ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Concentration Levels

Uranium is naturally found in the environment as a radioactive metal element with high concentrations in the Southwestern US. In this region is the Navajo Nation, which spans approximately 69,930 square kilometers. A decay product of uranium is radon gas, a lung carcinogen that has no color, odor, or taste. Radon gas may pass from soil into homes; and, indoor accumulation has been associated with geographical location, seasonality, home construction materials, and home ventilation. A home and indoor radon survey was conducted from November 2014 through May 2015, with volunteers who reported residence on the Navajo Nation. Home geolocation, structural characteristics, temperature (°C) during radon testing, and elevation (meters) were recorded. Short-term indoor radon kits were used to measure indoor radon levels. 51 homes were measured for indoor radon levels, with an arithmetic mean concentration of 60.5 Becquerels per cubic meter (Bq/m3) (SD = 42.7). The mean indoor radon concentrations (Bq/m3) by house type were: mobile, 29.0 (SD = 22.9); wood, 58.6 (SD = 36.0); hogan, 74.0 (SD = 0.0); homes constructed of cement and wood, 82.6 (SD = 3.5); and homes constructed of concrete and cement, 105.7 (SD = 55.8). A key observation is that house construction type appears to be associated with the mean home indoor radon concentration. This observation has been published in that the basic structural make-up of the home may affect home ventilation and therefore indoor radon concentration levels.

scholarly journals A new approach to radon temporal correction factor based on active environmental monitoring devices

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Dicu ◽  
B. D. Burghele ◽  
M. Botoş ◽  
A. Cucoș ◽  
G. Dobrei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Smart Device ◽  
Correction Factors ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Radon Measurements ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Monitoring Devices ◽  
Temporal Correction

AbstractThe present study aims to identify novel means of increasing the accuracy of the estimated annual indoor radon concentration based on the application of temporal correction factors to short-term radon measurements. The necessity of accurate and more reliable temporal correction factors is in high demand, in the present age of speed. In this sense, radon measurements were continuously carried out, using a newly developed smart device accompanied by CR-39 detectors, for one full year, in 71 residential buildings located in 5 Romanian cities. The coefficient of variation for the temporal correction factors calculated for combinations between the start month and the duration of the measurement presented a low value (less than 10%) for measurements longer than 7 months, while a variability close to 20% can be reached by measurements of up to 4 months. Results obtained by generalized estimating equations indicate that average temporal correction factors are positively associated with CO2 ratio, as well as the interaction between this parameter and the month in which the measurement took place. The impact of the indoor-outdoor temperature differences was statistically insignificant. The obtained results could represent a reference point in the elaboration of new strategies for calculating the temporal correction factors and, consequently, the reduction of the uncertainties related to the estimation of the annual indoor radon concentration.

MEASUREMENTS OF INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATION LEVELS IN DWELLINGS IN BETHLEHEM, PALESTINE

2013 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin A. Leghrouz ◽  
Mohammad M. Abu-Samreh ◽  
Ayah K. Shehadeh
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Concentration Levels

Measurement of indoor radon concentration levels in some cities of Jordan

1997 ◽  
Vol 28 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 589-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J.A.H. Khatibeh ◽  
N. Ahmad ◽  
Matiullah ◽  
M.A. Kenawy ◽  
K.M. Abu-Murad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Concentration Levels

scholarly journals Design and Development of a New Methodology Based on Expert Systems Applied to the Prevention of Indoor Radon Gas Exposition Risks

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 269
Author(s):  
Jorge Cerqueiro-Pequeño ◽  
Alberto Comesaña-Campos ◽  
Manuel Casal-Guisande ◽  
José-Benito Bouza-Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Expert Systems ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Clear Trend ◽  
Software Application ◽  
Radon Gas ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Concentration Levels

Exposure to high concentration levels of radon gas constitutes a major health hazard, being nowadays the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Facing this situation, the last years have seen a clear trend towards the search for methodologies that allow an efficient prevention of the potential risks derived from the presence of harmful radon gas concentration levels in buildings. With that, it is intended to establish preventive and corrective actions that might help to reduce the impact of radon exposure on people, especially in places where workers and external users must stay for long periods of time, as it may be the case of healthcare buildings. In this paper, a new methodology is developed and applied to the prevention of the risks derived from the exposure to radon gas in indoor spaces. Such methodology is grounded in the concurrent use of expert systems and regression trees that allows producing a diagram with recommendations associated to the exposure risk. The presented methodology has been implemented by means of a software application that supports the definition of the expert systems and the regression algorithm. Finally, after proving its applicability with a case study and discussing its contributions, it may be claimed that the benefits of the new methodology might lead on to an innovation in this field of study.

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