Correlation among the terrestrial gamma radiation, the indoor air sup 222 Rn, and the tap water sup 222 Rn in Switzerland

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Health Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-198911000-00008· OSTI ID:7069807

Buchli, R; Burkart, W ^[1]

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1. Paul Scherrer Institute, Wuerenlingen (Switzerland)

The external gamma radiation and the indoor air Rn (222Rn) concentration were measured in 55 houses of the South East Grisons, the Urseren valley, and the Upper Rhine valley (crystalline subsoils) and in 39 houses of the Molasse basin and the Helvetic nappes (sedimentary subsoils). In homes located on a crystalline subsoil, a mean cellar gamma level of 1.40 mGy y-1 was measured, which is twice the mean gamma level of 0.70 mGy y-1 found in homes built on a sedimentary subsoil. The cellar 222Rn gas concentration is about six times higher in houses with a crystalline subsoil (1232 Bq m-3) than in houses with a sedimentary subsoil (201 Bq m-3). Although a weak correlation is observed between the mean gamma radiation levels and mean cellar 222Rn gas concentrations for the five subregions investigated, the gamma levels and the 222Rn gas concentrations do not correlate for single homes. For the population living on the ground floor of a house with a crystalline subsoil, the gamma radiation and the indoor air 222Rn lead to estimated mean exposures of 1.16 mSv and 9.44 mSv effective dose equivalent per year, respectively. In houses with a sedimentary subsoil, these mean exposures lead to 0.68 mSv y-1 and 3.22 mSv y-1, respectively. A mean tap water 222Rn content of 38.3 Bq L-1 and 10.4 Bq L-1 was measured in 31 villages with a crystalline subsoil and 73 villages with a sedimentary subsoil, respectively. Radon-222 degasing from the tap water into the indoor air leads to an additional exposure of about 0.11 mSv y-1 and 0.03 mSv y-1 in homes with a crystalline subsoil and homes with a sedimentary subsoil, respectively.

• OSTI ID: 7069807
• Journal Information: Health Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Health Physics; (USA) Vol. 57:5; ISSN 0017-9078; ISSN HLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540230 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540330 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUILDINGS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DOSE EQUIVALENTS
DOSIMETRY
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EUROPE
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GAMMA RADIATION
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LAND POLLUTION
MONITORING
NUCLEI
POLLUTION
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATIONS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOILS
SWITZERLAND
THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSIMETRY
WATER POLLUTION
WATER SUPPLY
WESTERN EUROPE