The National Survey on Radon Indoors was designed to estimate the distribution of annual radonconcentration in Italian dwellings, on the basis of a representative sample of about 5000 dwellings. Itstarted in 1989 and ended in 1994, involving all Italian Regions except Sicilia and Calabria, due toorganizational problems in these two regions of Southern Italy. After the official conclusion, tworegional surveys were also carried out in Sicilia and Calabria, using the same experimental apparatusand protocols as in the other Regions.
A first review of the numerous data on the areas in Italy where high radon concentration in dwellingshave been found is presented here. The data were obtained from the national survey and from severallocal surveys carried out in areas where high radon concentration values were expected, on the basis ofthe national survey results or of geological considerations. The analysis is restricted to data obtainedwith long-term measurements.
A convenient, low-cost, time-integrating monitor based on the track-etching technique wasdeveloped for measuring the deposition rate of attached 220Rn progeny indoors. Simultaneousmeasurements for deposition rates and concentrations of 220Rn progeny were performed in 13 housesduring 12 months. Various values were observed among those houses, but seasonal variations werenot clearly observed. The deposition velocity of attached 220Rn progeny was estimated to be(0.53?0.11)?10-2 cm?s-1, in fair agreement with most of the values of attached 222Rn progeny indwellings in the literature.
The purpose of this contribution is to situate the radon issue within the whole field of radiationprotection. There is among health physicists a fairly general consensus that exposure to radon decayproducts constitutes the largest and most variable contribution to the population exposure. It istherefore ironical that precisely this exposure is the subject of constant disputes with regard to thevalidity of the risk estimates and to the desirability of inciting the population living in radon proneareas to take action.
About two hundred volume traps were retrieved from dwellings in various radon prone areas inEurope. They were analysed for the purpose of retrospective radon assessment. Emphasis is put onspecific problems encountered when using field samples as opposed to laboratory exposed samples. Itwas seen that in very dusty circumstances, direct penetration of radon decay products from the outsideto the centre of the volume traps calls for extra caution. Rinsing the samples is proposed as a solutionand was tested in field and laboratory conditions, showing good results.
A simple intercomparison of natural radioactivity and radon emanation factor measurementscoordinated by the Medical Physics Department of the University of Cantabria UC, Spain, has beencarried out during 1998 in the framework of the EU Concerted Action ERRICCA (European Researchinto Radon in Construction Concerted Actio). All the measurements have been made on a "blueconcrete" sample friendly delivered by Dr. G.
One could say that the Spanish Radon Program began in 1988 with the development of a nationalsurvey on indoor radon in Spanish houses. Today, 10 years later, many activitites by differentinstitutions and Universities have been carried out and a good information about the radon problemhas been achieved. Spain consists of 50 provinces which are amalgamated to form 17 autonomousregions. In this paper, we show the results of a major research and development program which is stillin progress.
Several kinds of studies have been carried out concerning building materials.The granitic region can be considered as a significant part of the country. In recent years graniticmaterials are being used as ornements or integrated on the walls inside the houses, producing highindoor radon levels. Studies of different coverings for granitic materials were tested employing incolorpaintings in order to reduce the radon exhalation from such granitic stones, without modifying theirappearance.
A survey has been made of the radiation exposure of inhabitants in a small new housing estate in theNetherlands, where 101 houses are built at about the same time, but according to nine differentdesigns. The objective of this study was to determine which dwelling characteristics affect the indoorradon concentrations and the absorbed dose in air. Both components were examined separately for aperiod of one year in the crawl space, the living room and a first-floor bedroom, using passive tracketchedand thermoluminescence detectors, respectively.
This paper presents the experimental results of utilizing Electro-Osmotic Pulsing Technology toreduce the diffusion of radon soil gas through a concrete slab. A laboratory system with state-of-theartinstrumentation has been used to measure the diffusion coefficient of radon soil gas through 30.5cm diameter, 10.2 cm thick standard composition concrete samples (w/c = 0.5 and cement:sand:gravel= 1:2:4). Within these concrete samples, a triple titanium anode configuration is embedded while anexternal copper rod is used as the cathode.
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