House characteristics associated with gamma radiation and radon daughter working levels in eastern Pennsylvania
Working levels (WL) of radon daughters and ..gamma.. measurements in basements are described for approx.1200 houses near the Reading Prong. House variables studied included condition and construction materials of basement floors and walls, basement heights and areas, heating systems, air conditioning, water supply, and presence of drains and sump pumps. WL's were poorly predicted by house characteristics or ..gamma.. measurements, while ..gamma.. levels were well predicted by house characteristics and WL. Except for windowless basements, associated with both high ..gamma.. andl high WL measurements, factors predicting high ..gamma.. levels tended to be associated with low WL's and vice versa. Dirt basement floors and fieldstone basement walls were strongly associated with high ..gamma.. levels, as were poor wall conditions in multivariate analyses. Gamma levels were low in electrically heated homes. High WL's were strongly associated with electric heat, low WL's with basement walls of fieldstone and/or in poor condition. Large house volumes and well water supply were also associated with higher WL's. 4 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Resources, Harrisburg (USA). Bureau of Radiation Protection
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 5472610
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-871208-2; ON: DE88005994
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 4. international symposium on the natural radiation environment, Lisbon, Portugal, 7 Dec 1987
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
GAMMA RADIATION
SURVEYS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
FORECASTING
RADON
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
AIR CONDITIONING
BASEMENTS
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
DRAINAGE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
HEATING SYSTEMS
PENNSYLVANIA
WATER PUMPS
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION III
FLUIDS
GASES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
PUMPS
RADIATIONS
RARE GASES
USA
510300* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
320107 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Building Systems- (1987-)
500300 - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)