scholarly journals Radiological Assessment of Indoor Radon and Thoron Concentrations and Indoor Radon Map of Dwellings in Mashhad, Iran

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Mohammademad Adelikhah ◽  
Amin Shahrokhi ◽  
Morteza Imani ◽  
Stanislaw Chalupnik ◽  
Tibor Kovács
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Absolute Error ◽  
Soil Gas ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Soil Gas Radon ◽  
Distance Weighting ◽  
The City ◽  
Monitoring Devices ◽  
Radon Concentrations

A comprehensive study was carried out to measure indoor radon/thoron concentrations in 78 dwellings and soil-gas radon in the city of Mashhad, Iran during two seasons, using two common radon monitoring devices (NRPB and RADUET). In the winter, indoor radon concentrations measured between 75 ± 11 to 376 ± 24 Bq·m−3 (mean: 150 ± 19 Bq m−3), whereas indoor thoron concentrations ranged from below the Lower Limit of Detection (LLD) to 166 ± 10 Bq·m−3 (mean: 66 ± 8 Bq m−3), while radon and thoron concentrations in summer fell between 50 ± 11 and 305 ± 24 Bq·m−3 (mean 115 ± 18 Bq m−3) and from below the LLD to 122 ± 10 Bq m−3 (mean 48 ± 6 Bq·m−3), respectively. The annual average effective dose was estimated to be 3.7 ± 0.5 mSv yr−1. The soil-gas radon concentrations fell within the range from 1.07 ± 0.28 to 8.02 ± 0.65 kBq·m−3 (mean 3.07 ± 1.09 kBq·m−3). Finally, indoor radon maps were generated by ArcGIS software over a grid of 1 × 1 km2 using three different interpolation techniques. In grid cells where no data was observed, the arithmetic mean was used to predict a mean indoor radon concentration. Accordingly, inverse distance weighting (IDW) was proven to be more suitable for predicting mean indoor radon concentrations due to the lower mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE). Meanwhile, the radiation health risk due to the residential exposure to radon and indoor gamma radiation exposure was also assessed.

scholarly journals A reconnaissance study of radon concentrations in Hamadan city, Iran

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 857-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. K. Gillmore ◽  
N. Jabarivasal
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Alluvial Fan ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Radiological Protection ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Western Iran ◽  
Surficial Deposits ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Abstract. This paper presents results of a reconnaissance study that used CR-39 alpha track-etch detectors to measure radon concentrations in dwellings in Hamadan, western Iran, significantly, built on permeable alluvial fan deposits. The indoor radon levels recorded varied from 4 (i.e. below the lower limit of detection for the method) to 364 Bq/m3 with a mean value of 108 Bq/m3 which is 2.5 times the average global population-weighted indoor radon concentration – these data augment the very few published studies on indoor radon levels in Iran. The maximum radon concentration in Hamadan occurs during the winter period (January to March) with lower concentrations during the autumn. The effective dose equivalent to the population in Hamadan is estimated from this study to be in the region of 2.7 mSv/y, which is above the guidelines for dose to a member of the public of 1 mSv/y suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in 1993. This study supports other work in a number of countries that indicates such permeable "surficial" deposits as being of intermediate to high radon potential. In western Iran, the presence of hammered clay floors, the widespread presence of excavated qanats, the textural properties of surficial deposits and human behaviour intended to cope with winds are likely to be important factors influencing radon concentrations in older buildings.

The Empirical Bayesian Regression Kriging (EBRK) to map the Geogenic Radon Potential (GRP). A case of study from the Euganean Hills (Italy).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Coletti ◽  
Giancarlo Ciotoli ◽  
Eleonora Benà ◽  
Erika Brattich ◽  
Giorgia Cinelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Radioactivity ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Bayesian Regression ◽  
Soil Gas ◽  
Regression Kriging ◽  
Empirical Bayesian ◽  
Soil Gas Radon ◽  
Radon Potential ◽  
Radon Concentrations

<p>In the volcanic area of the Euganean Hills district (100 km<sup>2</sup>), the indoor radon often exceeds the threshold level of 300 Bq/m<sup>3 </sup>stipulated by the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, thus suggesting the need to investigate the possible link between observed radon concentrations and the local geology (Trotti et al., 1998,1999; Strati et al., 2014). More recently, statistical and geostatistical analysis on rock samples identified high U, Th and K concentrations associated with areas characterised by trachyte and rhyolite lithologies (Tositti et al., 2017). With this contribution, we completed our investigation on the natural radioactivity in the Euganean Hills district extending the rocks dataset, performing on-site soil gas survey, and considering other important factors which can locally increase the radon occurrence, such as hydrothermal alterations, types of soils (e.g., geochemistry or presence of organic matters), and faults. Furthermore, we elaborated a Geogenic Radon Potential map to assess the local spatial relationships between the measured soil gas radon concentrations and seven proxy-variables: fault density (FD), total gamma radiation dose (TGDR), <sup>220</sup>Rn (Tn), digital terrain mode (SLOPE), moisture index (MI), heat load index (HLI) and soil permeability (PERM). Empirical Bayesian Regression Kriging (EBRK) was used to develop the most accurate hazard map of the considered area, thus, providing the local administration an up-to-date decisional tool for the land use planning. For the high radon emission measured, the high density of dwelling, and its geomorphological features, the Euganean Hills district represented a very meaningful case of study.  </p><p> </p><p>Trotti, F., Tanferi, A., Lanciai, M., Mozzo, P., Panepinto, V., Poli, S., Predicatori, F., Righetti, F., Tacconi, A., Zorzine, R., 1998. Mapping of areas with elevated indoor radon levels in Veneto. Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 78 (1), 11–14.</p><p>Trotti, F., Tanferi, A., Bissolo, F., Fustegato, R., Lanciai, M., Mozzo, P., Predicatori, F., Querini, P., Righetti, F., Tacconi, A., 1999. A Survey to Map Areas with Elevated Indoor Radon Levels in Veneto, Radon in the Living Environment, 19-23 April 1999, Athens, Greece, 859–868.</p><p>Strati V., Baldoncini M., Bezzon G.P, Broggini C., Buso G.P., Caciolli A., Callegari I., Carmignani L, Colonna T, Fiorentini G., Guastaldi E., Kaçeli Xhixhaf M., Mantovani F, Menegazzo R., Moub L., Rossi Alvarez C., Xhixha G., Zanon A., 2014. Total natural radioactivity, Veneto (Italy). Journal of Maps, Vol. 11, Issue 4, 545–551. http://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2014.923348.</p><p>Tositti L., Cinelli G., Brattich E., Galgaro A., Mostacci D., Mazzoli C., Massironi M., Sassi R., 2017. Assessment of lithogenic radioactivity in the Euganean Hills magmatic district (NE Italy). J. Environ. Radioact. 166, 259–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.07.011</p>

Spatial Multicriteria Decision Analysis (SMCDA) for the construction of the European Geogenic Radon Migration map

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Ciotoli ◽  
Monia Procesi ◽  
MariaGrazia Finoia ◽  
Peter Bossew ◽  
Giorgia Cinelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Analysis ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Fine Fraction ◽  
Multicriteria Decision Analysis ◽  
Soil Gas ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Multicriteria Decision ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Soil Gas Radon

<p>Radon generation, migration and exhalation into the atmosphere are natural processes that can lead to infiltration of radon into indoor environments, thus constituting a health risk. Analyses and models of these three processes can be used to create different maps depicting the potential of geological radon sources (GRS), geogenic radon migration (GRM), and radon exhalation (REX). The latter includes the first two processes, and be used to identify areas with increased radon levels in buildings (Radon Prone or Priority Areas, RPA). Here, we limit our analysis to the first two processes, and propose a spatial technique to map the contribution of some geological factors to the potential radon risk or geogenic radon potential (GRP) at European scale. The GRP can be understood as a measure of susceptibility of a location or of an area to increased indoor radon concentration for geogenic reasons.</p><p>The problem of estimating GRP has been examined over several years, using different multivariate statistical and spatial techniques. A number of direct and indirect models have been developed in order to create GRP maps (i.e., susceptibility maps) of a certain region by using both deterministic and probabilistic models. Direct models can be ascribed to multivariate regression of some predictors, but this was possible only at local scale where the response variables (i.e. soil gas radon and thoron) are available. The indirect mapping method integrates many factors and criteria and weighs the importance of the factors, based on subjective decision-making rules according to the experience of the geoscientists involved, or on multivariate statistical analysis.</p><p>In this work, we first propose to construct/create a GRP map at European level by using a GIS-based (spatial) multicriteria decision analysis (SMCDA) to quantify the geogenic contribution to indoor radon; and then, to create a European map of geogenic radon priority areas. SMCDA involves combining and handling of different criteria that determine the presence of a RPA, then uses the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assess their importance and derives the relative weights for factors and criteria; finally it determines the overall final scores. The GRS map was derived by using a new lithological classification of the International Geological Map of Europe. Lithologies were ranked according to the mean content of uranium, thorium and potassium associated with each lithology. The GRS map was then coupled with maps of other parameters that serve as proxies for permeability, such as available water capacity and the fine fraction of the soil, the fault density and the map of the karst areas. All these maps were standardised by using the max score function and weighted by using AHP. A variance-based sensitivity analysis was conducted to define the uncertainty of the final map. In the absence of direct soil gas measurements, the final map was validated by using the indoor radon values collected by the JRC in the framework of the European Atlas of Natural Radiation. The work is conducted as a task within the framework of the European Metro RADON project (http://metroradon.eu/).</p>

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.

scholarly journals Radon measurements with CR-39 track detectors at specific locations in Turkey

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asiye Ulug ◽  
Melek Karabulut ◽  
Nilgün Celebi
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Arithmetic Means ◽  
Radon Measurements ◽  
New Buildings ◽  
Main Factor ◽  
Ventilation Conditions ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Indoor radon concentration levels at three sites in Turkey were measured using CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors. The annual mean of radon concentration was estimated on the basis of four quarter measurements at specific locations in Turkey. The measuring sites are on the active faults. The results of radon measurements are based on 280 measurements in doors. The annual arithmetic means of radon concentrations at three sites (Isparta Egirdir, and Yalvac) were found to be 164 Bqm?3, 124 Bqm?3, and 112 Bqm?3 respectively, ranging from 78 Bqm?3 to 279 Bqm?3. The in door radon concentrations were investigated with respect to the ventilation conditions and the age of buildings. The ventilation conditions were determined to be the main factor affecting the in door radon concentrations. The in door radon concentrations in the new buildings were higher than ones found in the old buildings.

The Alpha Particle Doses Received by Students and Staff in Twenty Schools in the North of Hebron Region - Palestine

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-316
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Alpha Particles ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
The North ◽  
Cr 39 Detectors ◽  
Average Effective Dose ◽  
Radon Concentrations

Abstract: The aim of the current study was to measure indoor radon concentration levels and its resulting doses received by the students and staff in schools of the directorate of education in the north of Hebron region- Palestine, during the summer months from June to September (2018), using CR-39 detectors. In this study, a total of 567 CR-39-based radon detectors were installed in the selected schools. The average radon concentrations were found to be 90.0, 66.5 and 58.0 Bqm-3 in Halhul, Beit Umar and Alarrub camp schools, respectively. Based on the measured indoor radon data, the overall average effective dose for the studied area was found to be 0.31 mSvy-1. Reported values for radon concentrations and corresponding doses are lower than ICRP recommended limits for workplaces. The results show no significant radiological risk for the pupils and staff in the schools under investigation. Consequently, the health hazards related to radiation are expected to be negligible. Keywords: Radon concentration, Alpha particles, Annual effective dose, Schools. PACs: 29.40.−n.

scholarly journals The first version of the Pan-European Indoor Radon Map

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 2451-2464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Elío ◽  
Giorgia Cinelli ◽  
Peter Bossew ◽  
José Luis Gutiérrez-Villanueva ◽  
Tore Tollefsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Uranium Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Grid Cells ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Radon Exposure ◽  
Bedrock Geology ◽  
Distance Weighting ◽  
Few Data ◽  
Secondary Variable ◽  
Inverse Distance

Abstract. A hypothetical Pan-European Indoor Radon Map has been developed using summary statistics estimated from 1.2 million indoor radon samples. In this study we have used the arithmetic mean (AM) over grid cells of 10 km × 10 km to predict a mean indoor radon concentration at ground-floor level of buildings in the grid cells where no or few data (N<30) are available. Four interpolation techniques have been tested: inverse distance weighting (IDW), ordinary kriging (OK), collocated cokriging with uranium concentration as a secondary variable (CCK), and regression kriging with topsoil geochemistry and bedrock geology as secondary variables (RK). Cross-validation exercises have been carried out to assess the uncertainties associated with each method. Of the four methods tested, RK has proven to be the best one for predicting mean indoor radon concentrations; and by combining the RK predictions with the AM of the grids with 30 or more measurements, a Pan-European Indoor Radon Map has been produced. This map represents a first step towards a European radon exposure map and, in the future, a radon dose map.

VARIATIONS OF INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATION IN TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN RURAL WOODEN HOUSES

2020 ◽  
Vol 191 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-222
Author(s):  
Tatiana Petrova ◽  
Petr Miklyaev
Keyword(s):  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Radon Exhalation Rate ◽  
Exhalation Rate ◽  
Indoor Radon Concentration ◽  
Radon Exhalation ◽  
Soil Gas Radon ◽  
Radon Measurements ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

Abstract Continuous indoor radon measurements were carried out in two traditional Russian rural houses located in different villages of the Moscow region in summer of 2017 and 2018. In additional, in the summer of 2017, continuous measurements of soil gas radon activity concentration at depth 0.8 m and radon exhalation rate from the ground surface near the house were performed simultaneously. It was found that the indoor radon concentration in rural houses is subject to strong daily variations, which are characterized by highs at night and lows during the day. Indoor radon concentration is directly proportional to indoor and outdoor temperature difference and inversely proportional to wind speed. While the radon exhalation rate from the ground surface, as well as the ventilation of premises (opening doors and windows) practically do not affect the concentration of radon in Russian rural wooden houses.

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