The effect of soil particle size on soil radon concentration

It has been suggested in the literature that the radon concentration in the soil gas is related to the particle size distribution of the soil. This paper examines this relation. Radon concentration was measured in the soil on the Carboniferous limestone south of Buxton in Derbyshire, England, using the can technique. At each site, a sample of soil was taken at the bottom of the hole in which the dosimeter was placed to determine the particle size distribution.

The correlations between the raw values of radon concentration, soil particle size fractions and elevation were weak. Nevertheless, the kriged maps of radon, silt, clay and elevation showed some spatial relation to one another. The kriged estimates showed stronger correlations among these properties, especially between radon and elevation.     

Variation of radon concentrations in soil and groundwater and its correlation with radon exhalation rate from soil in Budhakedar, Garhwal Himalaya

Radon was measured in soil-gas and groundwater in the Budhakedar area of Tehri Garhwal, India in summer and winter to obtain the seasonal variation and its correlation with radon exhalation rate. The environmental surface gamma dose rate was also measured in the same area. The radon exhalation rate in the soil sample collected from different geological unit of Budhakedar area was measured using plastic track detector (LR-115 type II) technique. The variation in the radon concentration in soil-gas was found to vary from 1098 to 31,776 Bq.m⁻³ with an average of 7456 Bq.m⁻³ in summer season and 3501 to 42883 Bq.m⁻³ with an average of 17148 Bq.m⁻³ in winter season. In groundwater, it was found to vary from 8 to 3047 Bq.l⁻¹ with an average value 510 Bq.l⁻¹ in summer and 26 to 2311 Bq.l⁻¹ with an average value 433 Bq.L⁻¹ in winter. Surface gamma dose rate in the study area varied from 32.4 to 83.6 μR.h⁻¹ with an overall mean of 58.7 μ-R.h⁻¹ in summer and 34.6 to 79.3 μR.h⁻¹ with an average value 58.2 μR.h⁻¹ in winter. Radon exhalation rate from collected soil samples was found to vary from 0.1 × 10⁻⁵ to 5.7 × 10⁻⁵ Bq.kg⁻¹.h⁻¹ with an average of 1.5 × 10⁻⁵ Bq.kg⁻¹.h⁻¹ in summer season and 1.7 × 10⁻⁵ to 9.6 × 10⁻⁵ Bq.kg⁻¹.h⁻¹ with an average of 5.5 × 10⁻⁵ Bq.kg⁻¹.h⁻¹. A weak negative correlation was observed between radon exhalation rate from soil and radon concentration in the soil. Radon exhalation rate from the soil was also not found to be correlated with the gamma dose rate, while it shows a positive correlation with radon concentration in water in summer season. Inter-correlations among various parameters are discussed in detail.      

Seasonal and location dependence of indoor and soil radon concentrations in two villages,Najran region,Saudi Arabia

Seasonal (winter-summer) indoor and soil radon comparison is made in two villages in Najran region, south west of Saudi Arabia, using CR-39 Dosimeter. Summer indoor radon concentrations were measured in the villages of Fara Al-Jabal and Hadadah. The respective winter-summer average values of 42 ± 4 Bq m⁻³ and 74 ± 5 Bq m⁻³ are measured in Fara Al-Jable village and the average values of 47 ± 4 Bq m⁻³ and 76 ± 5 Bq m⁻³ are measured in Hadadah village. The respective winter-summer soil values are 1.40 ± 0.21 kBq m⁻³ and 0.99 ± 0.04 kBq m⁻³ in Fara Al-Jabal village while those measured in Hadadah village are 2.90 ± 0.17 kBq m⁻³ and 1.40 ± 0.66 kBq m⁻³. Indoor radon levels are found to be seasonal dependent while that of soil are found seasonal and location dependent. Meteorological and geological factors are expected to have caused the measured significant differences in radon levels in dwellings and soil in the two villages.     

Spatial and temporal variations of radon concentration in soil air

The spatial and temporal variability of the soil gas radon concentration in typical soils is studied. The results obtained will be further used to predict indoor radon levels. To this end, 50 measuring points along geologic sections with known physicogeological parameters of soils were chosen. The soil gas radon concentration was measured with SSNTDs (Type III-b) at a depth of 70 cm from June to October, 2000. The radon exposure time was 72–96 h. The average radon concentration in the soil pore air for an urban area was 11 kBqm⁻³ (1.7–24 kBqm⁻³). Small-scale spatial variations in the concentration were found to lie within a narrower range. The effect of meteorological conditions on the soil gas radon concentration was investigated by performing 8 series of measurements at 5 closely spaced points in September–October, 2000. A significant correlation was found between the soil radon concentration and atmospheric pressure (K=−0.86), ambient temperature (K=0.75), and soil temperature (K=0.75).     

Emanation power of radon and its concentration in soil and rocks

Experiments were carried out to determine emanation power and radon levels in different kinds of soil and bedrocks. Seven stations were selected in the investigated district, which covers an area of about 2300 km² in the northern and western part of Jordan. Five holes were dug in each station at different depths. Two to three passive dosimeters using plastic detectors (CR-39) were put in each hole. Two weeks later, the dosimeters were collected and chemically etched. Some soil and rock samples from the study area were collected and analyzed for radioactive nuclides using γ-ray spectroscopy. The correspondence between radon levels in the soil gas and its precursor concentrations is not clear. However, the study confirms the exponential increase in radon level with depth. In general, Al-Hisa phosphate limestone showed the highest radon concentration while Amman silicified limestone showed the lowest concentration.     

Analysis of seasonal variation of indoor radon concentration in Tehri Garhwal, Northern India

The seasonal variation analysis of indoor radon has been carried out in the hilly region of Tehri Garhwal, Northern India by using LR-115 Type II, plastic track detector. In the analysis the winter/summer ratio radon values were found to vary from 0.63 to 1.64 and 1.02 to 1.22 for cemented houses and mud houses, respectively. Over all the average value of winter/summer ratio was found maximum in both cemented and mud houses respectively.      

Evaluating radon loss from water during storage in standard PET,bio-based PET,and PLA bottles

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) bottles were tested to evaluate radon loss from water during 15 days of storage. PET bottles (lower surface/volume-ratio vials) lost 0.4–7.1% of initial radon, whereas PLA bottles lost 3.7% of it. PET bottles with volume of 0.5 L, lower surface/weight ratio, and hence higher thickness display proportionally reduced radon loss. Corrections for dissolved radium are needed during analyses. Formulas for calculating degassing efficiency and water interference on electrostatic collections are developed.     

Regional variation of seasonal correction factors for indoor radon levels

Radon levels measured for any duration less than one year are subject to seasonal variation. Such radon measurements must therefore be adjusted using an appropriate seasonal correction factor in order to estimate an annual average radon level. Radon mapping has shown that radon concentrations vary between regions within a country but there has been little work examining regional variation in the seasonality of radon levels. This paper investigates this regional variation in indoor radon seasonality in Ireland. Mean regional seasonal correction factors are estimated through Fourier decomposition and we find that there is significant regional variation in the computed seasonal correction factors. We conclude that the use of one national set of mean seasonal correction factors may not be appropriate in all countries.     

Soil radon levels measured with SSNTD's and the soil radium content

The source of the radon gas ²²²Rn in the ground air is the soil and the bedrock underneath. The potential radon level in the ground is given by the content of ²²⁶Ra in the ground. The presence of ²²⁶Ra is in turn dependent on the amount of ²³⁸U in the ground, and these two isotopes are not always found to be in equilibrium in a sample of soil or bedrock. Especially if the soil is washed out, the radium content may be reduced. When the soil is the relevant source of the radon gas, it is interesting to look for a possible relation between the radon level and the radium content of the soil.

In this paper we report on measurements of soil radon level carried out with SSNTDs at several European sites. Soil samples were collected at these sites and analysed with gamma spectrometry to determine their radium content. A comparison of the different degree of disequilibrium of radon, defined as the ratio between the actual and the secular equilibrium-with-radium soil radon concentration, found at the different sites and depths is presented. The influence on the result of soil type and climate is briefly discussed.     

Calibration of Big Bottle RAD H2O set-up for radon in water using HDPE bottles

Glass bottles are generally employed for water sampling because glass is impervious to radon and is not lost during sample storage. On the other hand, glass is fragile and may break, so 1 L High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) bottles (Thermo Scientific Nalgene) are tested in place of glass vessels employing Big Bottle RAD H₂O device (Durridge Company) coupled with RAD7 monitor. The purpose of this calibration is to quantify radon loss during storage in HDPE bottles, evaluate possible radon uptake by known volume of desiccant (Drierite, granular CaSO₄) and quantify radon interaction with the rubber and plastic parts of the experimental circuit. These processes have been separately investigated, performing proper experiments for the assessment of their influence on resulting radon data using seven series of solutions at known activity concentrations in the range from 27 to 194 Bq/L. Percent radon loss during storage in 1 L HDPE bottles has been estimated at 0.0045 min⁻¹. Radon absorption by desiccant, expressed as ‘equivalent’ volume of Drierite is 0.673 ± 0.092 L and is somehow independent, within errors, from i) the amount of water already absorbed in Drierite, ii) a recirculation time greater than 30 min and iii) radon concentrations. Radon absorption/desorption from rubber and plastic parts of the experimental device has been assessed as a function of concentration gradient between the inner volume of the circuit and the pores of polymer's. A final algorithm accounting for the above described physical processes has been developed for long runs (2–3 h). A simplified calculation method for short measurements (30 min) is also provided.     

Measurements of radon concentration in soil gas by CR-39 detectors

A miniature diffusion chamber with a 25 × 4 × 0.5 mm CR-39 track etch detector (Pershore Moulding Ltd.), mounted on the 1.1 m long pole has been developed for radon gas measurements at 1 meter depth in the soil. For chemically etched CR-39 (7h, 70°C NaOH) and automatic track analysis the lowest detection limit of the chamber was found to be 0.5 MBq h m⁻³ and the useful exposure range from 2 to 20 MBq h m⁻³. The typical exposure time in the soil is between 2 to 14 days. The chamber was tested against the active AlphaGUARD PQ-2000 (Genitron Instruments GmbH) probe. The test yielded consistent results for soils with typical values of permeability and which are not miniature with water. The pilot measurements of radon gas in soil conducted with the miniature diffusion chambers around 48 buildings in Kraków and Silesia regions yielded an average radon concentration of 13 kBq m⁻³. The chambers are to be applied to measure radon concentration in soil before constructing new houses in order to avoid high radon risk areas.     

Indoor radon and radon daughters survey at Campinas-Brazil using CR-39: First results

The first results of a radon and radon daughters (RD) survey performed at Campinas-SP, Brazil, are presented. We employed a technique that, potentially, makes possible to measure the radon and RD activity in the air and to separate from this result the activity of radon, alone. In this preliminary paper only the former activity is studied.     

On indoor radon daughters’ plate-out on material surfaces

In this work, the plate-out of radon daughters on surfaces of different sizes has been studied. Several pieces of CR-39, cut circularly with different diameters, were exposed for approximately 3 months in an indoor environment containing a high concentration of uranium in Pocos de Caldas, Brazil. During the exposition the CR-39 sheets remained fixed in a wire far from any object. After the exposition, the etched alpha tracks were counted and mapped in order to obtain the spatial distribution of tracks on the detector surface. The accomplished experimental results are in agreement with the theoretical and computational conclusions obtained in previous works.     

Seasonal variation of radon-222 concentrations in specific locations in Jordan

Previously calibrated passive detectors (CR-39) and an active radon device (Radon Monitor RM3) were used to study seasonal variation of radon-222 concentration levels inside and outside specific locations in Jordan. The study sites were located in an area that used to be an old phosphate mine. We found that the maximum value of radon concentration in air inside the dwellings, as measured by the passive dosimeters, was 1532.9 Bq/m³ during the winter season, and the minimum one was 46.3 Bq/m³ during fall season. While the highest and lowest readings of the active monitor were 892 and 4 Bq/m³ during fall and summer seasons, respectively. The radon concentration in soil ranges from 0.2 kBq/m³ in spring to 37.8 kBq/m³ in fall.     

Radon emanation from soil samples

The soil or bedrock beneath a building is one of the sources of radon gas in the indoor air. The ²³⁸U content of samples of the soil or the bedrock can be measured by gamma ray spectrometry and is of interest because the uranium content in the soil is a precursor of the presence of the radon gas in the soil. The emanation of radon gas from different types of material can be estimated to some extent if the content of ²³⁸U of a sample is known and the ²²⁶Ra content is only minorly affected. The true emanation is, however, affected by various parameters. One of these parameters is the possibility or not for the gas to come out from the grains into the air in the space between the grains of the sample.

In this study we report the results from measurements of radon gas emanating from samples of soil frequent in the Lund region in Sweden and in the Barcelona region in Spain. As soils have different grain size it is important to know the type of soil. The ²³⁸U content of the soil is measured with gamma ray spectrometry. The radon measurements are made by Kodak plastic film in closed cans, filled with the soil according to a technique, developed for radon measurements in water samples.

The result shows, that the combination of grain size and uranium content is important for the emanation of the radon gas from the grains of the soil.     

Seasonal variation of radon level and radon effective doses in the Catacomb of Kom EI-Shuqafa,Alexandria, Egypt

Inhalation of radon has been recognized as a health hazard. In the present work radon concentration was measured, in the atmosphere of the archaeological place, namely Catacomb of Kom El-Shuqafa, in Alexandria, Egypt, which is open to the public, using time-integrated passive radon dosimeters containing LR-115 solid-state nuclear track detector. The measurements were performed throughout winter and summer. Seasonal variation of radon concentration, with the maximum in summer ranging from 243 to 574 Bq m^− 3 and minimum in winter ranging from 64 to 255 Bq m^− 3 was observed. Because of the variations of the catacomb ventilation system, the equilibrium factor between radon and its progeny ranges from 0.14 to 0.48. The tour guides are exposed to an average estimated annual effective dose ranging from 0.21 to 0.52 mSv y^− 1 and the visitors from 0.88 to 2.28 μSv y^− 1. The effective doses the catacomb workers are exposed to ranged from 0.20 mSv y^− 1 in winter to 4.65 mSv y^− 1 in summer which exceeds the lower bound of the recommended level (3–10 mSv y^− 1) (ICRP, 1993).     

A novel approach for testing passive radon monitors with an exposure standard based on alpha track detector

Best practices concerning qualification tests of radon passive detectors recommend the application of radon standard atmospheres at controlled conditions. A measurement technique has been developed, based on the application of the new on/off alpha track passive radon detector developed at ENEA. The capability of switch and pumping functions of this device has removed the time lag due to the radon transfer inside its sensitive volume and the post-exposure due to the residual radon decay. A special exposure facility has been developed based on a set of the above passive detectors connected with flange adapters to a radon chamber wall. This apparatus can be used substantially as a radon exposure standard (RES). Results of standardization tests at the ENEA Radon Facilities are given. The paper also addresses requirements for simple and small exposure facilities that permit accurate timed exposures and can be used for testing passive devices.     

Study of uranium, radium and radon exhalation rate in soil samples from some areas of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India using solid-state nuclear track detectors

LR-115 plastic track detectors have been used for the measurement of radon exhalation rate and radium concentration in soil samples collected from some villages of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India. Uranium concentration has also been determined in these soil samples using fission track technique. Radium concentration in soil samples has been found to vary from 11.54 to 26.71 BqKg⁻¹, whereas uranium concentration varies from 0.75 to 2.06 ppm. The radon exhalation rate in these samples has been found to vary from 15.16 to 35.11 mBqKg⁻¹ h⁻¹ (502.12 to 1162.64 mBqm⁻² h⁻¹).     

A simple model for automatically measuring radon exhalation rate from medium surface

A simple model to measure radon exhalation rate from medium surface is developed in this paper. This model is based on a combination of the “accumulation chamber” technique and a radon monitor. The radon monitor is used to perform measurement of radon concentration evolution inside the accumulation chamber, and radon exhalation rate is evaluated via nonlinear least-square fitting of the measured data. If the flow rate of the pump is high enough, radon concentration in the detector's internal cell becomes to be equal to that in the accumulation chamber quickly, and the simple model for measuring the radon exhalation rate can be generated analytically. Generally, the pump flow rate of radon monitor is low, not satisfying the condition. We find other sufficient conditions of this simplified model. On these conditions, the radon exhalation rate can be calculated accurately through this model even the flow rate of the pump is not so high. This method can be applied to develop and improve the instruments for measuring the radon exhalation rate.     

Experience from using plastic film in radon measurement

Plastic film is a useful detector of radon gas. The method of detection of the gas is used for several decades to measure radon concentrations both indoors and in soil. Experiences from radon measurements in Sweden indoors, in soil and in water using the plastic film Kodak LR 115-II are discussed in this report. Some examples are given from various projects. One example is taken from a large scale mapping of indoor radon levels in houses, where the building material is the main source of radon. In anotther example the measurements from a large scale soil radon mapping are discussed. The use of the plastic film for measurements of radon levels in water is also discussed. All the investigations are made in order to give the authorities concerned information of the radon situation and to study the connection between high indoor radon levels and various types of cancers.