• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2017

Real-time monitoring of hourly concentrations of atmospheric Radon-222 ($^{222}Rn$, radon) and some gaseous pollutants ($SO_2$, CO, $O_3$) was performed throughout 2013-2014 at Gosan station of Jeju Island, one of the cleanest regions in Korea, in order to characterize their background levels and temporal variation trend. The hourly mean concentrations of radon and three gaseous pollutants ($SO_2$, CO, $O_3$) over the study period were $2216{\pm}1100mBq/m^3$, $0.6{\pm}0.7ppb$, $211.6{\pm}102.0ppb$, and $43.0{\pm}17.0ppb$, respectively. The seasonal order of radon concentrations was as fall ($2644mBq/m^3$)$${\sim_\sim}$$winter ($2612mBq/m^3$)>spring ($2022mBq/m^3$)>summer ($1666mBq/m^3$). The concentrations of $SO_2$ and CO showed similar patterns with those of radon as high in winter and low in summer, whereas the $O_3$ concentrations had a bit different trend. Based on cluster analyses of air mass back trajectories, the air mass frequencies originating from Chinese continent, North Pacific Ocean, and the Korean Peninsula routes were 30, 18, and 52%, respectively. When the air masses were moved from Chinese continent to Jeju Island, the concentrations of radon and gaseous pollutants ($SO_2$, CO, $O_3$) were relatively high: $2584mBq/m^3$, 0.76 ppb, 225.8 ppb, and 46.4 ppb. On the other hand, when the air masses were moved from North Pacific Ocean, their concentrations were much low as $1282mBq/m^3$, 0.24 ppb, 166.1 ppb, and 32.5 ppb, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.245-255
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• 2020

Objective: The present study analyzed domestic and overseas academic journals to understand the research status and characteristics of radon concentration distribution in Korea in accordance with environmental conditions. Methods: As part of the meta-analysis, pooled average concentration was calculated using an inverse variance-weighted average of the arithmetic means and standard deviations among the investigated values. Using the obtained pooled average concentration, a Monte-Carlo simulation was performed to increase the reliability of the occurrence possibility of the calculated concentration distribution. A total of 38 research articles were selected, including 27 articles published in domestic academic journals and 11 articles published in foreign academic journals. Results: The comparison results showed differences in radon concentration distribution in accordance with regional and topographical characteristics. Conclusion: Currently, even though research into radon is steadily picking up the pace in Korea much remains to be done. Additional research is thus needed to establish a baseline for radon emissions in Korea.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.149-158
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• 2012

In this paper, we measured the variations of radon concentrations in groundwater using low-level Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC), an instrument for analyzing the alpha and beta radionuclides at its 10 sites around the Kumjung-Gu, north-western of Busan. Optimization of Pulse Shape Analyzer (PSA) to determinate the highest value of figure of merit (FM) was decided using Quantulus 1200 LSC with radium-226 source, the optimal PSA level was shown in the range of 100 to 110. The results show that the Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) of radon concentrations is 0.61 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for 20 minutes in PSA level. We find that the average radon concentration in groundwater is high in granitic rock area and low in volcanic rock area. (Biotite granite : 191.39 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$, Micro graphic granite : 141.88 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$, Adamellite : 92.94 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$, Andesite (volcanic) : 35.35 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$). No significant seasonal variation pattern is observed from the long-term variation analysis from 10 selected sites. We have not seen the significant correlation of radon concentration to groundwater temperature, atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure and rainfall. The concentration variation is probably caused by more complex factors and processes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 1998

The radon (Rn-222) potential of metropolitan subway stations and soils in Seoul city were delineated using alpha-track filter and EDA-200 radon detectors, respectively. The uranium (U) and thorium (Th) contents were also determined using a Multi Channel Analyzer to identify the sources of radon gas. The average U concentrations in Seoul varies according to basement rock types. For example, there is $9.40{\pm}10.11ppm$ in the Precambrian metasedimentary rock (PM), $9.08{\pm}2.85ppm$ in the Jurassic Kwanaksan granite (JK) and $4.94{\pm}1.43ppm$ in the Jurassic Seoul granite (JS). Uranium contents in soil samples are $10.30{\pm}4.74ppm$ in JK, $10.10{\pm}7.43ppm$ in PM and $6.69{\pm}3.95ppm$ in JS and these closely reflect the content of uraniferous minerals. The levels of soil radon are $604{\pm}273pCi/L$ in JK, $502{\pm}275$ in JS and $262{\pm}211pCi/L$ in PM. The soil radon concentrations are shown to reflect soil permeability and porosity rather than their U contents. The mean indoor radon contents in subway stations are $1.50{\pm}0.62pCi/L$ on the 4th line, $1.41{\pm}0.95pCi/L$ on the 3rd line, $0.84{\pm}0.13pCi/L$ on the 1st line and $0.80{\pm}0.25pCi/L$ on the 2nd line. The subway stations located in the JK have the highest average radon concentration with $2.04{\pm}0.65pCi/L$, where levels of $1.57{\pm}0.81pCi/L$ occur in the JS and $0.80{\pm}0.23pCi/L$ in the PM. The highest radon levels of 4.1 pCi/L occur mainly in Keongbokkung station on the 3rd line and these exceed 4 pCi/L of the US EPA action level.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2015

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and a major indoor contribution of exposure to ionizing radiation in dwellings. $^{222}Rn$ is a health hazard gas what is responsible for thousand lung cancer deaths every year. In this study, indoor radon concentrations present in thirty representative houses in Mahallat city, Iran, were determined in order to estimate lung cancer risk associated with residential radon exposure. Long-term passive method, using CR-39, was used to measure the radon concentration. The results showed an association between the age of the dwellings and the indoor radon concentration that was found, in that the concentration of radon tended to increase as the age of the dwelling also increased. The indoor radon concentrations were calculated to be within the range of $23{\pm}2$ to $350{\pm}26Bq{\cdot}m^{-3}$, with an average of $158Bq{\cdot}m^{-3}$. The annual effective dose from inhaled radon and its decay products was calculated between $0.8{\pm}0.1$ and $12.3{\pm}0.9mSv{\cdot}y^{-1}$, with an average of $5.5mSv{\cdot}y^{-1}$. By taking into consideration the EPA recommendation and ICRP statement, the average annual risk of lung cancer from inhaled radon was calculated as 0.09%, 0.06%, 0.01%, and 0.03% for current smokers (CS), those who had ever smoked (ES), never smokers (NS) and the general population, respectively.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2008

Over a period of 5 days between August 12 and 17, 2005, we performed a gas exchange experiment using the dual tracer method in a tidal coastal ocean located off the southern coast of Korea. The gas exchange rate was determined from temporal changes in the ratio of $^3He$ to $SF_6$ measured daily in the surface mixed layer. The measured gas exchange rate($k_{CO_2}$), normalized to a Schmidt number of 600 for $CO_2$ in fresh water at $20^{\circ}C$, was approximately $5.0\;cm\;h^{-1}$ at a mean wind speed of $3.9\;ms^{-1}$ during the study period. This value is significantly less than those obtained from floating chamber-based experiments performed previously in estuarine environments, but is similar in magnitude to values obtained using the dual tracer method in river and tidal coastal waters and values predicted on the basis of the relationship between the gas exchange rate and wind speed (Wanninkhof 1992), which is generally applicable to the open ocean. Our result is also consistent with the relationship of Raymond and Cole (2001), which was derived from experiments carried out in estuarine environments using $^{222}Rn$ and chlorofluorocarbons along with measurements undertaken in the Hudson River, Canada, using $SF_6$ and $^3He$. Our results indicate that tidal action in a microtidal region did not discernibly enhance the measured $k_{CO_2}$ value.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.612-624
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• 2007

The real-time monitoring of radon ($^{222}Rn$) concentrations has been carried out to evaluate its ambient background concentration levels in Gosan site, Jeju Island between January 2001 and December 2004. In addition, the atmospheric TSP aerosols have been sampled, and their ionic and metallic components were analyzed to understand the characteristics of air pollution. The mean concentration of radon was $3,121{\pm}1,627\;mBq/m^3$, and the seasonal mean concentrations for spring, summer, fall and winter seasons were 2,898, 2,398, 3,571 and $3,646\;mBq/m^3$, respectively, The hourly concentrations have shown the highest value at 7 a.m. and the lowest value at 2 p.m. From the backward trajectory analyses, the radon concentrations have increased, when the air parcels were moved from the Chinese continent to Jeju area. On the other hand, they have decreased, when the air parcels from the North Pacific Ocean. In the analytical results of ionic species and metal elements of TSP aerosols, the concentrations of $nss-{SO_4}^{2-}$ and S were higher in June and March. Meanwhile, the concentrations of other anthropogenic species as well as soil components were mostly higher in March and April. On the basis of factor analysis, the TSP aerosols at Gosan area were largely influenced by soil sources, followed by anthropogenic sources and marine sources. From the result of backward trajectory analyses, the concentrations of $nss-{SO_4}^{2-},\;{NO_3}^-$, Al and Ca were mostly higher, when the air parcels moved from Chinese continent to Jeju area. On the other hand, their concentrations were lower, when the air parcels drifted from the North Pacific Ocean.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.174-183
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• 2017

The background level and timely variation characteristics of atmospheric $^{222}Rn$ concentrations have been evaluated by the real time monitoring at Gosan site of Jeju Island, Korea, during 2008~2015. The average concentration of atmospheric radon was $2,480mBq\;m^{-3}$ for the study period. The cyclic seasonality of radon was characterized such as winter maximum and summer minimum, consistent with the reduction in terrestrial fetch going to summer. On monthly variations of radon, the mean concentration in October was the highest as $3,041mBq\;m^{-3}$, almost twice as that in July ($1,481mBq\;m^{-3}$). The diurnal radon concentrations increased throughout the nighttime approaching to the maximum ($2,819mBq\;m^{-3}$) at around 7 a.m., and then gradually decreased throughout the daytime by the minimum ($2,069mBq\;m^{-3}$) at around 3 p.m. The diurnal radon cycle in winter showed comparatively small amplitude due to little variability in atmospheric mixing depth, conversely, large amplitude was observed in summer due to relatively a big change in atmospheric mixing depth. The cluster back-trajectories of air masses showed that the high radon events occurred by the predominant continental fetch over through Asia continent, and the radon concentrations from China continent were about 1.9 times higher on the whole than those from the North Pacific Ocean. The concentrations of $PM_{10}$ also increased in proportion to the high radon concentrations, showing a good linear correlation between $PM_{10}$ and radon concentrations.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.133-142
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• 2011

A total of 247 samples were collected from groundwater being used for drinking-water supply, and hydrogeochemistry and radionuclide analysis were performed. In-situ analysis of groundwaters resulted in ranges of $13.7{\sim}25.1^{\circ}C$ for temperature, 5.9~8.5 for pH, 33~591 mV for Eh, $66{\sim}820{\mu}S/cm$ for EC, and 0.2~9.4 mg/L for DO. Major cation and anion concentrations of groundwaters were in ranges of 0.5~227.6 for Na, 1.0~279.3 for Ca, 0.0~9.3 for K, 0.1~100.1 for Mg, 0.0~3.3 for F, 0.9~779.1 for Cl, 0.3~120.4 for $SO_4$, 0.0~27.4 for $NO_3$-N, and 6~372 mg/L for $HCO_3$. Uranium-238 and radon-222 concentrations were detected in ranges of N.D-$131.1{\mu}g/L$ and 18-15,953 pCi/L, respectively. In case of some groundwaters exceeding USEPA MCL level ($30{\mu}g/L$) for uranium concentration, their pH ranged from 6.8 to 8.0 and Eh showed a relatively low value(86~199 mV) compared to other areas. Most groundwaters belonged to Ca-(Na)-$HCO_3$ type, and groundwaters of metamorphic rock exhibited the highest concentration of Na, Mg, Ca, Cl, $NO_3$-N, U, and those of plutonic rock showed the highest concentration of $HCO_3$, and Rn. Uranium and fluoride from granite areas did not show any correlation. However, uranium and bicarbonate displayed a positive relation of some areas in plutonic rocks($R^2$=0.3896).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2022

The concentrations of radon in the atmosphere were measured at the Gosan site of Jeju Island during 2017-2018, in order to investigate the time-series variation characteristics and the dependency of airflow transport pathways. The mean ²²²Rn concentration was 2,480 mBq m^-3, and its monthly concentration in November was 3,262 mBq m^-3, more than twice as that in July (1,459 mBq m^-3). The diurnal radon concentrations increased throughout the nighttime to the maximum (2,862 mBq m^-3) at around 7 a.m., then gradually decreased throughout the daytime by the minimum (1,997 mBq m^-3) at around 3 p.m. The seasonal and monthly variations of CO, NO₂, O₃ showed a roughly similar pattern to that of radon for the same period, as high in winter and low in summer. The cluster back trajectory analysis described that about 60 % of overall airflow pathways was influenced by the airflow from China. The concentrations of radon and gaseous pollutants were relatively high as the airflow was influenced by China continent, but comparatively much lower as influenced by the northern Pacific Ocean.