• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• 제17권E2호
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• pp.43-51
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• 2001

A report by the national research council in the United States suggested that many lung cancer deaths each year be associated with breathing radon in indoor air. Most of the indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement of foundations. Recently, radon released from groundwater is found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study presents the quantitative assessment of human exposures to radon released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a three-compartment model is developed to describe the transfer and distribution of radon released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. Then, to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon for an adult. a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic(PBPK) model is developed. The use of a PBPK model for the inhaled radon could provide useful information regarding the distribution of radon among the organs of the human body. Indoor exposure patterns as input to the PBPK model are a more realistic situation associated with indoor radon pollution generated from a three-compartment model describing volatilization of radon from domestic water into household air. Combining the two models for inhaled radon in indoor air can be used to estimate a quantitative human exposure through the inhalation of indoor radon for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios. The results obtained from the present study would help increase the quantitative understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.241-249
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• 2001

A report by the National Research Council in the United States suggested that many lung cancer deaths each year are associated with breathing radon in indoor air. Most of the indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement of foundation. Recently, radon released from groundwater is found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study presents the assessment of a exposure to radon released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a 3-compartment model is describe the transfer and distribution if radon released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. The model is used to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios, Finally, a sensitivity analysis is used to identify important parameters. The results obtained from the study would help to increase the understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.237-245
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• 2022

Background: The current study reports measurements of activity concentrations of radon (²²⁰Rn) and thoron (²²⁰Rn) in dwellings, followed by inhalation dose assessment of the public, and then by the development of regulation and the national radon action plan (NRAP) in Cameroon. Materials and Methods: Radon, thoron, and thoron progeny measurements were carried out from 2014 to 2017 using radon-thoron discriminative detectors (commercially RADUET) in 450 dwellings and thoron progeny monitors in 350 dwellings. From 2019 to 2020, radon track detectors (commercially RADTRAK) were deployed in 1,400 dwellings. It was found that activity concentrations of radon range in 1,850 houses from 10 to 2,620 Bq/㎥ with a geometric mean of 76 Bq/㎥. Results and Discussion: Activity concentrations of thoron range from 20 to 700 Bq/㎥ with a geometric mean of 107 Bq/㎥. Thoron equilibrium factor ranges from 0.01 to 0.6, with an arithmetic mean of 0.09 that is higher than the default value of 0.02 given by UNSCEAR. On average, 49%, 9%, and 2% of all surveyed houses have radon concentrations above 100, 200, and 300 Bq/㎥, respectively. The average contribution of thoron to the inhalation dose due to radon and thoron exposure is about 40%. Thus, thoron cannot be neglected in dose assessment to avoid biased results in radio-epidemiological studies. Only radon was considered in the drafted regulation and in the NRAP adopted in October 2020. Reference levels of 300 Bq/㎥ and 1,000 Bq/㎥ were recommended for dwellings and workplaces. Conclusion: Priority actions for the coming years include the following: radon risk mapping, promotion of a protection policy against radon in buildings, integration of the radon prevention and mitigation into the training of construction specialists, mitigation of dwellings and workplaces with high radon levels, increased public awareness of the health risks associated with radon, and development of programs on the scientific and technical aspects.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.327-334
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• 2002

The work presents sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of 2-compartment model for the evaluation of indoor radon pollution in a house. Effort on the development of such model is directed towards the prediction of the generation and transfer of radon in indoor air released from groundwater. The model is used to estimate a quantitative daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon based on exposure scenarios. However, prediction from the model has uncertainty propagated from uncertainties in model parameters. In order to assess how model predictions are affected by the uncertainties of model inputs, the study performs a quantitative uncertainty analysis in conjunction with the developed model. An importance analysis is performed to rank input parameters with respect to their contribution to model prediction based on the uncertainty analysis. The results obtained from this study would be used to the evaluation of human risk by inhalation associated with the indoor pollution by radon released from groundwater.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.79-86
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• 2001

본 연구는 지하수로부터 방출되는 라돈에 의한 실내오염시 정량적인 인체노출량을 평가하였다. 실내에 존재하는 라돈은 대부분 건물의 지하층에 존재하는 토양층으로부터 발생하는 것으로 알려져 왔다. 그러나, 최근 지하수내에 존재하는 라돈은 물사용으로 인해 실내공기로 휘발하여 실내오염을 야기하고 호흡에 의한 인체위해를 증가시키는 것으로 밝혀졌다. 본 연구는 주택내의 라돈의 이동 및 분포를 정량적으로 평가하기 위해 수학적 모델을 개발하였다. 그리고, 실내에서 예상되는 인체노출패턴과 이런 수학적 모델을 사용하여 성인의 경우, 실내 라돈오염에 의한 호흡노출을 통한 인체축적량을 계산하였다. 이러한 연구의 결과는 지하수로부터의 발생되는 라돈의 실내오염시 인체노출에 의한 위해도 평가시 도움을 주리라고 판단된다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.121-126
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• 2002

본 연구는 지하수로부터 방출되어 가옥의 실내에 존재하는 라돈에 의한 체내축적량을 현실적으로 평가하는 방법을 보여준다. 먼저 지하수로부터 실내공기로 전달되는 과정을 모의하기 위해 2_구역모델을 개발하였다. 이 모델은 실내에서 발생하는 생활활동, 즉, 목욕, 세수, 세탁, 변기에서의 물사용에 의해 실내로 휘발, 이동하는 시간에 따를 라돈농도분포를 계산한다. 다음, 이 모델의 불확실성이 존재하는 입력인자들에 대해 불확실성분석을 수행하여 최종 실내라돈 농도분포를 결정하였다. 그리고 이러한 실내 라돈을 호흡하여 체내에 축적되는 양을 보다 정량적으로 모의하기 위해 PBPK 모델을 개발하였다. 불확실성이 포함된 라돈농도분포와 정량적인 체내축적모의를 위한 PBPK 모델의 결합으로 보다 현실적인 라돈의 체내축적량을 분석할 수 있다. 이러한 연구의 결과는 지하수로부터 발생하는 라돈에 의한 인체위해평가시 도움을 주리라고 판단된다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.313-318
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• 2020

라돈은 불활성기체로서 단원자분자이기 때문에 입자 하나의 크기가 원자 하나의 크기를 나타내며 이는 대략 반경 1~100 nm를 가지고 있다는 것을 의미한다. 따라서 마스크가 차단하는 일반적인 미세먼지, 초 미세먼지의 크기보다 작은 반경을 가지지만 일정 이상의 라돈의 흡입을 차단할 수 있다면 평소 실내착용을 통해 라돈의 흡입을 통한 피폭을 줄일 수 있을 것으로 사료된다. 이에 따라 일상생활에서 착용하는 마스크의 라돈 차단 효과를 알아보고자 한다. 각각의 마스크 별 라돈 감소율을 보면 면 마스크가 33.45%, 의료용 마스크가 33.50%, KF80 마스크가 35.12%, KF94 마스크가 37.72% 순으로 감소하였다. 면, 의료용 마스크가 KF 마스크보다 라돈 차단 효과가 다소 떨어지지만 그 차이는 크지 않아 마스크의 착용만으로도 공기 중 라돈의 유입을 일정 수준 차단할 수 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.1-13
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• 1991

국내 12개 지역의 340여 실내에서 측정한 라돈농도로부터 단순한 수학적 폐선량 평가모형을 이용하여 주민의 실효선량당량을 평가하였다. 수동적 시간적분형 CR-39 라돈컵으로 1990년 4월부터 10월까지 $3{\sim}4$개월 동안 측정 한 실내의 라돈농도는 지역별로 $33.82{\sim}61.42 Bq/m^3$(평균 : $48.90 Bq/m^3$)의 분포를 보였으며, 이로 인한 라돈자핵종의 평형등가라 돈농도$(EEC_{Rn})$는 라돈과 자핵종간의 평형인자의 값 0.4를 적용했을 때 $13.53{\sim}24.57Bq/m^3$(평균 : $19.55 Bq/m^3$)으로 예상되었다. 국제방사선방어위원회의 폐모형에 근거한 본 연구의 폐선량 평가모형에서 유도된 단위 평형등가라돈농도의 피폭당 실효선량당량환산 인자는 $1.07{\times}10^{-5}\;mSv/Bq\;h\;m^{-3}$으로 국제방사선방어위원회나 국제연합 방사선영향평가 과학위원회(UNSCEAR)에서 권고한 값과 잘 일치하였다. 동 선량환산인자와 CR-39 라돈 컵으로 측정 한 실내 의 평균 평형등가라돈농도를 년간 $0.75 m^3/h$의 호흡율로 호흡한 것으로 가정했을 때, 주민이 받는 년평균 폐선량당량 및 실효선량당량은 갹각 20.90 mSv 및 1.25 mSv인 것으로 평가되었다. 동 피폭선량은 국제연합(UNSCEAR)에서 1988년에 발표한 일반인의 년평균 자연방사선피폭 실효선량당량인 2.40mSv의 거의 50%에 상당하였다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to reevaluate natural radiation exposure, following up on our previous study conducted in 2019, and to assess the associated risk of lung cancer to the public residing in the gold mining areas of Betare-Oya, east Cameroon, and its vicinity. Materials and Methods: Gamma-ray spectra collected using a 7.62 cm×7.62 cm in NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer during a car-borne survey, in situ measurements and laboratory measurements performed in previous studies were used to determine the outdoor absorbed dose rate in air to evaluate the annual external dose inhaled by the public. For determining internal exposure, radon gas concentrations were measured and used to estimate the inhalation dose while considering the inhalation of radon and its decay products. Results and Discussion: The mean value of the laboratory-measured outdoor gamma dose rate was 47 nGy/hr, which agrees with our previous results (44 nGy/hr) recorded through direct measurements (in situ and car-borne survey). The resulting annual external dose (0.29±0.09 mSv/yr) obtained is similar to that of the previous study (0.33±0.03 mSv/yr). The total inhalation dose resulting from radon isotopes and their decay products ranged between 1.96 and 9.63 mSv/yr with an arithmetic mean of 3.95±1.65 mSv/yr. The resulting excess lung cancer risk was estimated; it ranged from 62 to 216 excess deaths per million persons per year (MPY), 81 to 243 excess deaths per MPY, or 135 excess deaths per MPY, based on whether risk factors reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations Scientific Committee on the effects of Atomic Radiation, or International Commission on Radiological Protection were used, respectively. These values are more than double the world average values reported by the same agencies. Conclusion: There is an elevated level of risk of lung cancer from indoor radon in locations close to the Betare-Oya gold mining region in east Cameroon. Therefore, educating the public on the harmful effects of radon exposure and considering some remedial actions for protection against radon and its progenies is necessary.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제39권6호
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• pp.243-249
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• 2018

The indoor radon concentration was measured in the lecture room of the university and the radon concentration was converted to the amount related to the radon exposure using the dose conversion convention and compared with the reference levels for the radon concentration control. The effect of indoor radon inhalation was evaluated by estimating the life effective dose and the risk of exposure. To measure the radon concentration, measurements were made with a radon meter and a dedicated analysis Capture Ver. 5.5 program in a university lecture room from January to February 2018. The radon concentration measurement was carried out for 5 consecutive hours for 24 hours after keeping the airtight condition for 12 hours before the measurement. Radon exposure risk was calculated using the radon dose and dose conversion factor. Indoor radon concentration, radon exposure risk, and annual effective dose were found within the 95% confidence interval as the minimum and maximum boundary ranges. The radon concentration in the lecture room was $43.1-79.1Bq/m^3$, and the maximum boundary range within the 95% confidence interval was $77.7Bq/m^3$. The annual effective dose was estimated to be 0.20-0.36 mSv/y (mean 0.28 mSv/y). The life-time effective dose was estimated to be 0.66-1.18 mSv (mean $0.93{\pm}0.08mSv$). Life effective doses were estimated to be 0.88-0.99 mSv and radon exposure risk was estimated to be 12.4 out of 10.9 per 100,000. Radon concentration was measured, dose effective dose was evaluated using dose conversion convention, and degree of health hazard by indoor radon exposure was evaluated by predicting radon exposure risk using nominal hazard coefficient. It was concluded that indoor living environment could be applied to other specific exposure situations.