Radon and remedial action in Spokane River Valley residences: an interim report
Fifty-six percent of 46 residences monitored in the Spokane River Valley in eastern Washington/northern Idaho have indoor radon concentrations above the National Council for Radiation Protection (NCRP) guidelines of 8 pCi/1. Indoor levels were over 20 pCi/1 in eight homes, and ranged up to 132 pCi/1 in one house. Radon concentrations declined by factors of 4 to 38 during summer months. Measurements of soil emanation rates, domestic water supply concentrations, and building material flux rates indicate that diffusion of radon does not significantly contribute to the high concentrations observed. Rather, radon entry is dominated by pressure-driven bulk soil gas transport, aggravated by the local subsurface soil composition and structure. A variety of radon control strategies are being evaluated in 14 of these homes. Sub-surface ventilation by depressurization and overpressurization, basement overpressurization, and crawlspace ventilation are capable of successfully reducing radon levels below 5 pCi/1 in these homes. House ventilation is appropriate in buildings with low-moderate concentrations, while sealing of cracks has been relatively ineffective.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 5655017
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-21399; CONF-860606-13; ON: DE86013202
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Radon and remedial action in Spokane River Valley homes: Final report to the Bonneville Power Administration: Volume 1, Experimental design and data analysis
Effect of natural ventilation on radon and radon progeny levels in houses. Rept. for Apr 90-Sep 91
Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
500600 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Regulations-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDING MATERIALS
BUILDINGS
DRINKING WATER
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUIDS
GASES
HOUSES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADON
RARE GASES
REMEDIAL ACTION
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
SOILS
SURFACE AIR
VENTILATION
WATER