• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 1991

Radon-222 exhalation rate from several domestic building materials were experimentally measured by using radon cup method, in which a CR-39 plastic is used as a passive radon detector. The radon detection factor of CR-39 detector determined in a series of calibration experiments was $0.164{\pm}0.005(tracks\;cm^{-2}/Bq\;d\;m^{-3})$, which is consistent with those reported by other investigators. The radon exhalation rates of several building materials (brick, red brick, concrete block, granite plate, concrete floor and wall) ranges from $6.8{\times}10^{-6}\;(granite plate)\;to\;75.0{\times}10^{-6}Bq/m^2-sec(brick)$ with the increasing order of granite plate, red brick, concrete wall, concrete block, concrete floor and brick. It showed that the CR39 radon cup can be efficiently utilized in measuring the radon-222 gas exhalation rate from building materials.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 1982

Measurement of the radon concentration close to the ground surface can be used in search of environmental radiation for human safety, exploration for uranium, premonitory signals from earthquakes. We can detect radons in soil gas by alpha particle track method using the plastic track detectors, cellulose nitrate (LR115-Type 2 and CA80-15, Kodak $Path\'{e}$) and CR-39. For present works, radon cups having these detectors were made in our laboratory and their conversion factor was determined. A typical conversion factor was $1tr/cm^2{\cdot}30days=1.2{\times}10^{-2}pCi/l$. In the radon cups, some of $CaSO_4$ were used as desiccant for reducing the moisture effects on plastic track detectors. With these radon cups, underground radon concentrations of Kyungpook area were measured. Average radon concentration in Daegu from Jan. 1981 to Feb. 1982 was 39.7pCi/l. From Aug. 1981 to Feb. 1982, average radon concentrations of Daegu, Angang, Kyungju, Pohang, Chungha, and Andong were 31.8pCi/l, 124.5pCi/l, 127.0pCi/l, 79.1pCi/l, 144.4pCi/l, and 70.9pCi/l, respectively. The results were compared with the environmental radiation measured by TLD method.