Comparative performance of short-term diffusion barrier charcoal canisters and long-term alpha-track monitors for indoor sup 222 Rn measurements

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Health Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199104000-00003· OSTI ID:5932712

Martz, D E; George, J L; Langner, Jr, G H ^[1]

---

1. Chem-Nuclear Geotech, Inc., Grand Junction, CO (USA)

The accuracy and precision of indoor {sup 222}Rn measurements obtained with the use of diffusion barrier charcoal canisters (DBCC) under actual field conditions were determined by comparing the integrated average of 26 successive 7-d exposures of DBCC in each of 16 occupied residences over a 6-mo period with simultaneous measurements using four types of commercially available alpha-track monitors (ATM) and one type of scintillation chamber continuous {sup 222}Rn monitor. The results suggest that properly calibrated DBCCs provide very good estimates of the integrated {sup 222}Rn concentrations in residential structures over the standard 1-wk exposure period despite the occurrence of large diurnal variations in the actual {sup 222}Rn concentrations. The results also suggest that a relatively small number of 1-wk DBCC measurements at selected times throughout the calendar year would provide estimates of the annual average indoor {sup 222}Rn concentrations that compare favorably with single long-term ATM measurements.

• OSTI ID: 5932712
• Journal Information: Health Physics; (USA), Vol. 60:4; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
RADIATION MONITORS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADON 222
RADIATION MONITORING
ACCURACY
CHARCOAL
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ADSORBENTS
AIR POLLUTION
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORING
MONITORS
NUCLEI
POLLUTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON ISOTOPES
TESTING
440101* - Radiation Instrumentation- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
540130 - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)