IAEA/EPA international climatic test program for integrating radon detectors

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · Health Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199909000-00009· OSTI ID:20000248

Hopper, R D; Steinhaeusler, F; Ronca-Battista, M

As an element of the joint IAEA-EPA International Radon Metrology Evaluation Program, a climatic test of long-term integrating radon detectors was conducted at the US EPA Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory. The objective of this study was to test the performance of commonly used commercially available long-term {sup 222}Rn detector systems under extreme climatological conditions using filtered polycarbonate CR-39 plastic analyzed by the manufacturer using the track-etch method, unfiltered LR-115 film analyzed by the manufacturer, and Teflon{trademark} based electrets analyzed in the field by EPA using the manufacturer's equipment. The EPA environmental radon chambers were used to expose detectors to extreme cold and dry (less than 4.0 C air temperature and 25% relative humidity) and hot and humid (greater than 35 C air temperature and 85% relative humidity) climatic conditions. During phase 1 detectors were exposed to low temperatures and low humidities, and during phase 2 detectors were exposed to high temperatures and high humidities. Typical indoor equilibrium fractions (near 50%) and radon concentrations of about 150 Bq m{sup {minus}3} were maintained for each phase, which lasted 90 d. The results indicated that the optimal detector for extreme climatic conditions is dependent on the relative importance of bias and precision. Overall, however, the filtered track-etch type detector produced the most reliable results under the extreme conditions.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, NV (US)
• OSTI ID: 20000248
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 77; ISSN HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
CLIMATES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADON 222