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Title: Interlaboratory radon-daughter measurement comparison workshop

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5698222

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Remedial Action and Waste Technology established the Technical Measurements Center to provide standardization, calibration, comparability, verification of data, quality assurance, and cost-effectiveness for the measurement requirements of DOE remedial action programs. One of the remedial-action measurement needs is the estimation of average indoor radon-daughter concentration (RDC). The Technical Measurements Center sponsored an interlaboratory workshop during the period 9-12 September 1985 for the purpose of providing an opportunity for comparison of radon-daughter measurements, in the absence of an absolute calibration standard for such radon-daughter measurements. The Radon-Radon-Daughter Environmental Chamber at the DOE Grand Junction Projects Office was used for the workshop. Primary consideration was given to radon-daughter grab-sampling methods, but Radon Progeny Integrating Sampling Unit (RPISU) measurements and radon-flux measurements were also investigated. Results from the workshop indicate that comparable results for radon-daughter measurements can be obtained by a variety of instruments and technicians all employing the same method. Special attention must be given to the accuracy of air volume sampled, but with appropriate care any of a number of instruments can provide a reliable radon-daughter concentration value. The radon-daughter grab-sampling results also verify the comparability of two different methods for making such measurements, alpha spectroscopy and the Thomas-modified Tsivoglou method. The two additional facets of the workshop, RPISU and radon-flux measurements, demonstrate that reliable measurements with RPISUs and charcoal canisters can be made with appropriately calibrated instruments from widely dispersed laboratories.

Research Organization:
Bendix Field Engineering Corp., Grand Junction, CO (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-76GJ01664
OSTI ID:
5698222
Report Number(s):
GJ/TMC-25; CONF-8509306-Summ.; ON: DE86012076
Resource Relation:
Conference: Interlaboratory radon-daughter measurement comparison workshop, Grand Junction, CO, USA, 9 Sep 1985; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English