• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제40권3호
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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.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제16권6호
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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).

• 분석과학
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• 제35권1호
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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.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제23권5호
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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.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제33권2호
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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.

• 자원환경지질
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.277-294
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• 2012

부산의 지역의 암석 종류에 따른 토양 내 라돈 농도의 시 공간적 변화 특성과 변화 요인에 대하여 연구하였다. 토양 내 라돈($^{222}Rn$)농도와 암석 및 토양의 모원소($^{226}Ra$,$^{228}Ra$ U, Th)의 농도를 부산지역 24개 지점에서 측정하였다. 모암과 토양 내 이들 모원소들의 분포와 거동 특징을 분석하고 라돈과의 상관성을 상세히 규명하였으며, 지형에 대한 영향도 평가하였다. 토양 내 라돈 농도 측정에는 두 가지 in-situ 방법(soil probe 방법과 지중매설튜브 방법)을 적용하여 측정의 정확성에 대하여 비교하였다. 토양 내 라돈의 공간적 분포는 모암의 암석 종류에 따른 U의 농도를 전반적으로 반영하여, 화산암에 비해 심성암에 높고, 산성암>중성암>염기성암 순으로 높은 변화양상을 보였다. 그러나 동일한 모암에서 유래된 토양내의 라돈 농도에서 큰 폭의 변화가 나타나며, 이는 라돈의 모원소인 U와 $^{226}Ra$의 암석과 토양에서의 현저한 방사능 비평형 결과이다. 따라서 토양 내 라돈 농도는 이들 모원소의 암석과 토양 내 농도와의 상관성은 매우 낮게 나타나며, 암석 내 농도에 비해 토양 내 농도와 더 높은 상관성을 보였다. Th과 $^{228}Ra$은 풍화작용과 토양 발달 특성에 따라 U와 지구화학적 거동 및 부하 특징을 달리하기 때문에, 동일한 모암에서 유래된 토양에서도 토양 특징에 따라 U와 현저히 다른 복잡한 농도 변화 양상을 나타내었다. 지형구배를 이루는 경사지의 동일 심도의 토양 내 라돈농도는 위치에 따라 차이를 나타내며, 모암을 같이하는 잔류토양(부산대 내 19개 지점)내에서는 소규모 지형 변화에 의해 토양 내 라돈 농도가 6.8~29.8Bq/L 범위로 변화하였다. 토양 내 라돈 농도는 토양 특성에 따라, 정반대의 계절적 변화 양상을 보인다. 지중매설튜브 방법이 soil probe 방법에 비해 더욱 정확히 토양 내 라돈농도를 측정할 수 있어, 토양 내 라돈의 시 공간적 변화 특성에 대한 분석에 매우 유용한 것으로 나타났다.

• 자원환경지질
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• 제31권3호
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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.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.321-330
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• 2018

Concentrations of the atmospheric radon and gaseous pollutants were measured at the Gosan site on Jeju Island from 2010 to 2015, in order to observe their time-series variation characteristics and examine the concentration change related to the airflow transport pathways. Based on the realtime monitoring of the atmospheric radon and gaseous pollutants, the daily mean concentrations of radon ($^{222}Rn$) and gaseous pollutants($SO_2$, CO, $O_3$, $NO_x$) were $2,400mBq\;m^{-3}$ and 1.3, 377.6, 41.1, 3.9 ppb, respectively. On monthly variations of radon, the mean concentration in October was the highest as $3,033mBq\;m^{-3}$, almost twice as that in July ($1,452mBq\;m^{-3}$). The diurnal variation of radon concentration shows bimodal curves at early morning (around 7 a.m.) and near midnight, whereas its lowest concentration was recorded at around 3 p.m. Several gaseous pollutants($SO_2$, CO, $NO_x$) showed a similar seasonal variation with radon concentration as high in winter and low in summer, whereas the $O_3$ concentrations had a bit different seasonal trend. According to the cluster back trajectory analysis, the frequencies of airflow pathways moving from continental North China, East China, Japan and the East Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and North Pacific Ocean routes were 36, 37, 10, 13, and 4%, respectively. When the airflow were moved to Jeju Island from continental China, the concentrations of radon and gaseous pollutants were relatively high. On the other hand, when the airflows were moved from North Pacific Ocean and East Sea, their concentrations were much lower than those from continental China.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.241-250
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• 2018

최근 유해한 환경요인에 의한 질병발생 등 사람의 건강에 부정적인 영향이 중요하게 다루어지고 있다. 특히, 방사성 물질이며 폐암 1급 발암물질로 알려진 라돈 노출 영향에 관한 연구가 활발해지고 있다. 한국에서도 2018년 1월 1일 이후, 공동주택을 신축할 때 라돈측정이 의무화되었다. 라돈농도를 측정해 지자체에 제출하여야 하며 주민이 볼 수 있는 곳에 공고해야 한다. 라돈은 다중이용시설에 관한 권고 기준만 있었으나 이제는 주택에도 권고기준을 설정하기로 했다. 따라서 이제는 환경영향평가 단계는 물론 사후환경조사에서도 라돈을 관리할 수 있도록 해야 한다. 라돈농도 등의 환경정보와 라돈의 위해성 등 건강 정보도 공유할 수 있어야 하며, 이를 위해 환경영향평가 단계에서 보건전문가의 참여가 필요하다. 환경영향평가 과정에서 라돈이 인체 건강에 미치는 영향을 고려할 수 있도록 토양, 대기질, 위생 공중항목 등을 개선하여야 한다. 라돈의 농도가 권고기준치 이상이면 대안을 마련하고 저감방안을 마련하여야 한다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제5권5호
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• pp.231-235
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• 2011

라돈($^{222}Rn$)은 지각의 암석이나 토양 또는 건축자재 중에 들어 있는 우라늄($^{238}U$)과 토륨($^{232}Th$)이 몇 단계의 방사성붕괴과정을 거친 후 생성되는 무색무취의 불활성기체로 광산이나 지하같이 밀폐된 공간에 잘 축적된다. 호흡기를 통하여 폐로 유입되고 라돈의 딸핵종이 폐나 기관지에 침적되어 폐암을 일으키는 원인이 된다. 사람의 생명을 다루는 의료기관에서의 라돈피폭은 평상시 방사선피폭량이 많은 방사선관계종사자와 면역력이 약한 환자에게 큰 위험이 될 수 있다는 판단에 이 실험을 실시하였다. 실험에 쓰인 계측기는 실시간 라돈측정기인 Professional Continuous Radon monitor이며 계측장소는 두 개의 병원 지하1층에서 지상2층까지 층별로 오전 10시부터 오후 3시까지 측정 하였다. Professional Continuous Radon monitor계측결과는 최소 14.8 Bq/$m^3$에서 최대 70.3 Bq/$m^3$로 국내기준치인 148 Bq/$m^3$이하로 나타났으며 유효선량은 최소 0.296 mSv에서 최대 1.406 mSv로 일년간 자연방사선으로부터 피폭되는 방사선량인 2.4 mSv의 10~58.3% 수준으로 나타났다.