Residential radon daughter monitor based on alpha spectroscopy
The radioactive daughters of radon-222 pose a serious indoor air quality problem in some circumstances. A technique for measuring the concentrations of these radioisotopes in air is presented. The method involves drawing air through a filter; then, for two time intervals after sampling, counting the alpha decays from polonium-218 and polonium-214 on the filter. The time intervals are optimized to yield the maximum resolution between the individual daughter concentrations. For a total measurement time of 50 minutes, individual daughter concentrations of 1.0 nanocuries per cubic meter are measured with an uncertainty of 20%. A prototype of a field monitor based on this technique is described, as is a field test in which the prototype was used to measure radon daughter concentrations as a function of ventilation conditions in an energy-efficient house.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Lawrence Berkeley Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5009153
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-10768
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACCURACY
AIR POLLUTION
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUILDINGS
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EMANOMETERS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
MICROSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MONITORS
NUCLEI
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POLLUTION
POLONIUM 214
POLONIUM 218
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
TESTING
320100 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACCURACY
AIR POLLUTION
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUILDINGS
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EMANOMETERS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
MICROSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MONITORS
NUCLEI
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POLLUTION
POLONIUM 214
POLONIUM 218
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
TESTING