Radon source rate measurements using multiple perfluorocarbon tracers
In all passive monitoring system utilizing ..cap alpha..-track detectors for radon and perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) samplers for ventilation has been used to measure radon entry rates for 60 homes located within four separate areas of New York State (USA). Each home was divided into two or three zones so that multiple PFTs and multizone mass balance models could be used to compute zonal radon source rates. The whole house radon source rate for all 60 homes, averaged for a 2 to 7 week time period during the winter of 85-86, had a geometric mean of 4.94 Bq/s and an arithmetic mean of 10.0 Bq/s. Zonal mass balance equations applied to a tracer emitted in the soil outside 45 of the homes showed that, on average, 55% of the emitted tracer actually entered the houses. Diffusion alone cannot account for such a high value.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA); New York State Dept. of Health, Albany (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 6412807
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-39456; CONF-870853-1; ON: DE87008198
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR INFILTRATION
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MONITORING
NONMETALS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADON
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VENTILATION