radon

Guangdong is one of the provinces that have most hot springs in China. This paper presents the results of radon measurements in hot spring hotels of Guangdong province by using NR-667A continuous radon detector. Radon concentrations were measured in hotel rooms with attached bathrooms, tap waters and outdoors air. Radon concentrations were 53.4-292.5 Bq/L in the hot spring water, and 17.2-190.9 Bq/m3 in outdoor air.

Interior Alaska has indoor air quality issues similar to other far northern communities associated with long cold winters and reduced ventilation rates. Moreover, geological features in the hills around Fairbanks, Alaska increase the likelihood of elevated radon levels. Over thirty percent of the tested homes in the hills around Fairbanks had radon levels > 4 pCi/L compared with a nationwide average of 7%. Active sub-slab depressurization systems tested were very effective in reducing indoor radon concentrations (average reduction of over 90% for 8 homes).

Two nation-wide indoor radon surveys have been conducted in Japan. There was a significant difference between the two surveys. The first survey covered over 7000 houses using Karlsruhe passive radon detectors developed in Germany. The first survey provided relatively higher radon concentrations than expected though there are many well-ventilated wooden houses in Japan. The arithmetic mean was estimated to be 20.8 Bq m-3. In the second survey, on the other hand, it was 15.5 Bq m-3.

Radon is a kind of radioactive inert gas. It exists in the soil pore, the underground water and the air. Radon and radon daughters can damage the human body. After they are inhaled into the lungs, radon daughters decay, emit alpha particles, lead to internal irradiation and even cause lung cancer. Radon can accumulate indoors; the problems of indoor radon concentration have aroused a great deal of attention. In this paper, the characteristics, sources, and health effects of radon are discussed in detail.

Two detached houses situated on a hill, a slab-on-grade and a basement building, were used to assess factors that affect the rate of radon entry. For the former, the rate reached its maximum during a particular weather condition when the internal transport of radon was induced by the wind. The latter's rate was highest when the wind blew towards the hill. Changes in barometric pressure did not influence either. Rain affected the rate for the latter house. For the former house the adjusted rate of radon entry showed it to be higher in the morning.

Results from pre- and postconstruction radon measurements in a new housing development are presented. The houses were built in an area that had not been previously associated with elevated indoor radon concentrations. Exhalation measurements of gravel and stone from the site and soil gas measurements under several houses did not indicate an elevated radon potential. However, 4 of 21 finished houses (or 19%) exhibited annual average indoor radon concentrations over 200 Bq.m-3 (5.4 pCi/l).

Arbitrary energy conservation tactics have caused numerous environmental problems in all types of buildings. HVAC testing and adjusting can help solve them

Numerous scientific studies show that indoors are the source of potentially harmful substances called indoor air pollutants. They come from various sources. Indoor levels are often much higher than outdoor level and most people spend the bulk of their time indoors. As indoor air pollution is relatively new problem, health and comfort problems are associated with it. The starting point for studies on constituents of the indoor environment is to realize that the problem to be solved is complex.