Influence of Humidy on Radon Volume Activity on Lands

Abstract:

The research is primarily focused on the determination of humidity on radon volume activity in different soil gas permeabilities in a given land. The research also included the detrermination of the radon index in the given land. The mean concentrations of radon in soil gas during the drought ranged from 15.9 - 24.1 kBq/m³ and in the precipitation period 16.3 - 26.7 kBq/m³. The first area was characterized by low gas permeability of soils, where a low radon index was determined during the dry season and a medium radon index was determined in the precipitation period. The second area, the medium gas permeability of the soils was determined from the analysis of the collected soil samples. The values of the third quartile in both cases measurements of radon volume activity in soil gas fall into the middle class of radon index. The third location would be determined by high gas permeability of soils. The radon index of the given land during the drought was determined as the medium, as in the case of measurement of radon volume activity in soil gas in the period with added moisture in the soil profile. The analysis confirmed the effect of moisture on the volume activity of radon.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 838)
• Pages: 111-117
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.838.111
• Online since: April 2020
• Authors: Jana Bouchalova*, Helena Raclavská, Vendula Klimantová
• Keywords: Migration of Radon, Radioactivity, Radon, Radon Risks, Soil Gas

References

[1] M. Neznal, M. Neznal, Measurement of radon exhalation rate from the ground surface: can the parameter be used for determination of radon potential of soils, Radon investigations in the Czech Republic IX and the sixth international workshop on the Geological Aspects of Radon Risk Mapping, in: Czech Geological Survey Prague, (2002) 16-25.

DOI: 10.4401/ag-3192

[2] P. Kolarž, Daily variations of indoor air-ion and radon concentrations, App. Rad. and Isot.s. 11 (2000) 2062-7.

[3] M. Jiránek, House without Radon, 1st Ed. Brno: ERA, (2001), p.114.

[4] G. Ciotoli, M. Voltagio, P. Tuccimei, M. Soligo, A. Pasculli, S.E. Beaubien, S. Bigi, Geographically weighted regression and geostatistical techniques to construct the geogenic radon potential map of the Lazio region: A methodological proposal for the European Atlas of Natural Radiation, J. of Env. Radi. 166 (2017) 355-375.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.05.010

[5] SÚJB et al. RADON v.o.s. Radiation protection: Recommendation Determination of the radon index of a plot by direct measurement, 1st Ed. Prague: State Office for Nuclear Safety, 2019, p.28.

[6] M. Janík, Y. Omori, H. Yonehara, Influence of humidity on radon and thoron exhalation rates from building materials, App. Radi. and Izot. 95 (2015) 102–107.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.10.007

[7] H. U. Johner, H. Surbeck, Soil gas measurements below foundation depth improve indoor radon prediction, Sci. of The Tot. Env. 272 (2001) 337-341.

DOI: 10.1016/s0048-9697(01)00712-4

[8] H. Alonso, J.G. Rubiano, J.G. Guerra, M.A. Arnedo, A. Tejera ,P. Martel, Assessment of radon risk areas in the Eastern Canary Islands using soil radon gas concentration and gas permeability of soils, Sci. of The Tot. Env. 664, (2019) 449-460.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.411

[9] M.Y. Menetrez, R. B. Mosley, R. Snoddy, S.A. BrubakeR, Evaluation of radon emanation from soil with varying moisture content in a soil chamber, Env. Int.l. 22 (1996) 447- 453.

DOI: 10.1016/s0160-4120(96)00145-6

[10] M. Faheem, Matiullah, Radon exhalation and its dependence on moisture content from samples of soil and building materials, Rad. Meas. 43 (2008) 1458-1462.

DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2008.02.023