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Atmosphere
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Environmental Radon Measurement and Radiation Exposure Assessment
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Environmental Radon Measurement and Radiation Exposure Assessment

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Quality and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 3451

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Chutima Kranrod

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Honcho, Hirosaki 036-8564, Aomori, Japan
Interests: radioactivity; radiation detection; radiation protection; radiation dosimetry; nuclear science; radiation physics; experimental nuclear physics; ionizing radiation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to offer an update regarding the current improvements in environmental radon measurement and radiation exposure assessment.

Environmental radon measurements and radiation exposure assessments are the processes of detecting and quantifying radon gas levels in indoor and outdoor environments, assessing any potential health concerns. Radon is a radioactive gas, produced naturally through the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It can leak into buildings through foundation cracks, reaching deadly levels within enclosed spaces. Prolonged radon exposure is the second major cause of lung cancer, after smoking. Thus, regular radon testing and mitigation are critical public health practices.

Radon measurement data are used to determine the radiation dosage received by inhabitants from inhaling the radioactive gas and its decay products. This informs the activities required to reduce radon to safe levels, as per the public health guidelines. Radon reduction techniques include sealing entry points, boosting ventilation, and implementing sub-slab depressurization. Overall, environmental radon measurements and assessments prevent people and communities from avoidable radiation doses that might cause lung cancer.

Furthermore, given the scope of this Special Issue, it may be interesting to investigate various scenarios involving radon, such as radon measurement devices, radon reduction techniques, and radiation exposure impact.

In light of this, this Atmosphere Special Issue will focus on two distinct topics: ambient radon measurement and radiation dose assessment.

Dr. Chutima Kranrod
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • radon
  • radon measurement
  • indoor
  • outdoor
  • dose assessment
  • radon reduction technique

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4556 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Radiation Rates and Health Hazards from Different Cement Types in Pakistan
by Muhammad Waseem, Hannan Younis, Moustafa Salouci, Mian Mateen Ullah, Muhammad Adil Khan, Ouazir Salem, Atef Abdelkader and Abd Haj Ismail
Atmosphere 2024, 15(11), 1393; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15111393 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 319
Abstract
The raw materials of cement contain radioactive elements that come from natural sources. Members of the decay chains of uranium, thorium, and potassium radioisotope 40K are the primary sources of this radioactivity. The natural radionuclide concentration levels in cement differ greatly depending [...] Read more.
The raw materials of cement contain radioactive elements that come from natural sources. Members of the decay chains of uranium, thorium, and potassium radioisotope 40K are the primary sources of this radioactivity. The natural radionuclide concentration levels in cement differ greatly depending on different geographic areas. To estimate the radionuclides concentration in cement specimens from twelve diverse Pakistani companies, gamma-ray spectroscopy analysis was used in the study. 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K had activity concentration levels ranging from 18.08 to 43.18 Bq/kg, 16.73 to 23.53 Bq/kg, and 14.24 to 315.22 Bq/kg, respectively. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) threshold for the 226Ra was surpassed by five of the studied samples. The indoor and outdoor dose rates as well as different radiological health hazard indices were also examined. The Indoor Absorbed Dosage (Din) for some of the samples exceeded the permissible limit. These samples also had a high Indoor Effective Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) factor, which makes them unsafe for interior construction purposes. The outdoor dosages as well as the hazard indices were well within the permitted ranges. The outdoor ELCR factor is low for all the cement brands, which makes them safe for exterior construction purposes. The findings were compared with published data from other countries around the globe. Finally, a thorough statistical analysis was performed and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient (r) exhibited a very strong correlation between the different outdoor and indoor radiological health hazard indices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Radon Measurement and Radiation Exposure Assessment)
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11 pages, 3736 KiB  
Article
Determination of the Radon Progeny Activity Size Distribution in Laboratory Conditions
by Eliska Fialova and Petr P. S. Otahal
Atmosphere 2024, 15(11), 1262; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15111262 - 22 Oct 2024
Viewed by 513
Abstract
Knowledge of the active size distribution of radon daughters is one of the main parameters for determining the effective dose from inhalation of short-term radon decay products. However, this parameter is crucial for accurately determining an effective dose; there are currently very limited [...] Read more.
Knowledge of the active size distribution of radon daughters is one of the main parameters for determining the effective dose from inhalation of short-term radon decay products. However, this parameter is crucial for accurately determining an effective dose; there are currently very limited possibilities for determining it. This paper describes the laboratory validation of a method for determining the activity size distribution of radon decay products using the Dekati ELPI+ cascade impactor and the Graded Screen Array Diffusion Battery (GSA DB). Using nuclear track detectors placed on individual impaction plates of the cascade impactor, the equivalent equilibrium activity concentration of individual size classes can be determined in the range from 17 nm to 10 μm. A diffusion battery was used to detect smaller particles in the unattached fraction area. The presented method can further refine the knowledge of the activity size distribution of radon decay products in different types of workplace atmospheres. Workplaces with higher radon concentrations differ significantly in the size distribution of aerosol particles, radon activity concentration, and equilibrium equivalent activity concentration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Radon Measurement and Radiation Exposure Assessment)
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11 pages, 1096 KiB  
Article
The Scale Model Room Approach to Test the Performance of Airtight Membranes to Control Indoor Radon Levels and Radiation Exposure
by Manuela Portaro, Ilaria Rocchetti, Paola Tuccimei, Gianfranco Galli, Michele Soligo, Cristina Longoni and Dino Vasquez
Atmosphere 2024, 15(10), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15101260 - 21 Oct 2024
Viewed by 576
Abstract
Indoor radon is one of the most significant contributors to lung cancer after smoking. Mitigation strategies based on protecting buildings with radon barrier materials, combined with home ventilation or room pressurization, are regularly used. A scale model room made from a porous ignimbrite [...] Read more.
Indoor radon is one of the most significant contributors to lung cancer after smoking. Mitigation strategies based on protecting buildings with radon barrier materials, combined with home ventilation or room pressurization, are regularly used. A scale model room made from a porous ignimbrite rich in radon precursors was used as an analogue to test the efficiency of fifteen airtight membranes to reduce radon levels, also in combination with room pressurization. The results of these experiments were considered together with previous ones to propose the scale model room approach as a tool for rapidly evaluating the performance of specially designed radon barrier materials, and for radiation exposure assessment. Relative reduction of indoor radon (RIR) ranges from −20 to −94%. The most effective materials were FPO membrane, single-component silane-terminated polymer membranes and synthetic resins. The presence of additives likely modified the composition and structure of some products, improving their radon barrier capacity. The introduction of room pressurization further reduced radon levels in the model room where the membranes were applied. The overpressure necessary to reach RIRs of the order of 85–90% is very low for materials that powerfully stop radon even without ventilation, but necessarily higher for poorer membranes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Radon Measurement and Radiation Exposure Assessment)
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10 pages, 2739 KiB  
Article
Radon Concentration in Air and Evaluation of the Radiation Dose in Villages near Shizhuyuan, Southern Hunan, China
by Wanyu Tan and Yixun Nie
Atmosphere 2024, 15(7), 786; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15070786 - 29 Jun 2024
Viewed by 756
Abstract
Radon is one of the important natural sources of radiation and pollutants. When radon and its progeny are inhaled by the human body, they can cause radiation damage to the respiratory system and can lead to lung cancer. Indoor and outdoor radon concentrations [...] Read more.
Radon is one of the important natural sources of radiation and pollutants. When radon and its progeny are inhaled by the human body, they can cause radiation damage to the respiratory system and can lead to lung cancer. Indoor and outdoor radon concentrations were measured in five villages near Shizhuyuan W-polymetallic deposit using a RAD7 detector; moreover, the corresponding radiation dose and lifetime risk probability were evaluated. The results show that the average value of indoor radon concentration was 216.6 ± 121.1 Bq m−3, which is above the worldwide average indoor radon level of 40 Bq m−3, and the average outdoor value was 34.6 ± 13.4 Bq m−3, which is higher than the worldwide outdoor average of 10 Bq m−3. A total of 42% of the dwellings investigated in our study had a higher radon level than the Chinese permissible indoor radon level of 200 Bq m−3. The total annual effective dose ranged from 5.21 mSv y−1 to 49.38 mSv y−1, with an average value of 14.63 mSv y−1, which is higher than the ICRP recommended value of 3–10 mSv y−1. This average total dose value corresponds to an average lifetime risk probability of 5.8% for residents in the whole study area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Radon Measurement and Radiation Exposure Assessment)
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12 pages, 1773 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Variations in Radon and Thoron Exhalation Rates from Solid Concrete Interior Walls Observed Using In Situ Measurements
by Akihiro Sakoda, Yuu Ishimori, Md. Mahamudul Hasan, Qianhao Jin and Takeshi Iimoto
Atmosphere 2024, 15(6), 701; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15060701 - 12 Jun 2024
Viewed by 639
Abstract
Building materials, such as brick and concrete, are known indoor radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) sources. Most radon and thoron exhalation studies are based on the laboratory testing of pieces and blocks of such materials. To discuss if laboratory [...] Read more.
Building materials, such as brick and concrete, are known indoor radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) sources. Most radon and thoron exhalation studies are based on the laboratory testing of pieces and blocks of such materials. To discuss if laboratory findings can be applied to a real-world environment, we conducted intensive in situ exhalation tests on two solid concrete interior walls of an apartment in Japan for over a year. Exhalation rates of radon (JRn) and thoron (JTn) were measured using an accumulation chamber and dedicated monitors, alongside monitoring indoor air temperature (T) and absolute humidity (AHin). There were weak correlations between JRn or JTn and T or AHin at one tested wall, and moderate correlations of JRn and strong correlations of JTn with T or AHin at the other wall, meaning more or less seasonal variations. The findings aligned with previous laboratory experiments on JRn but lacked corresponding data for JTn. Additionally, a moderate or strong correlation between JRn and JTn was observed for both tested walls. Comparison with theoretical calculations revealed a new issue regarding the impact of each process of emanation and migration within concrete pores on radon and thoron exhalation. Overall, this study provides insight into parameterizing radon and thoron source inputs in modeling the spatiotemporal dynamics of indoor radon and thoron. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Radon Measurement and Radiation Exposure Assessment)
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