• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.329-334
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• 2018

Radon which is natural component of air is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas. Radon exposure can also occur from some building materials if they are made from radon-containing substances by breathing. In this study, The radiation dose of radon concentration was detected at 8 buildings of the A university during 3-month from June. 2017 to August. 2017. We detected indoor radon exposure at 8 building of the university and estimated annual effective dose. The radon concentration of Hall G and Hall F of the A university represented 81 and $14Bq/m^3$ respectively and average indoor radon concentration represented $41.63Bq/m^3$. Average effective dose was estimated 0.40 mSv/y, maximum effective dose was 0.78 mSv/y and minimum effective dose was 0.13 mSv/y respectively. University is the place that students spend the almost whole time. We suggest ventilation and appropriate management of a building, which could reduce the natural radiation exposure by radon concentration.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 1994

This paper reports an investigation of concentrations major carcinogenic indoor air pollutants for radon, formaldehyde, and asbestos in the 83 subway stations in the Seoul metropolitan area during November 1991~September 1992. Mean concentrations of indoor pollutants in Seoul subway stations surveyed were 0.23 ppb for formaldehyde, 1.12 pCi/l for radon, and 0.008 fiber/cc for asbestos. Mean formaldehyde concentrations in 83 subway stations were below the U.S. EPA formaldehyde standard (100 ppb), whereas mean concentrations of radon and asbestos in 2% and 22% of total sampled subway stations exceeded the U.S. radon (4 pCi/l) and asbestos (0.01 fiber/cc) standand, respectively. It is likely that possible sources for radon and asbestos are radon intrusion from the leaking underground water and construction materials, respectively.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.139-146
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• 2001

Modern people stay at indoor places about 90% of a day. Radon-222 is a gas produced radioactive decay of the element radium. And, radon is one of the major indoor air pollutants moves into the underground space through various routes and is considered to cause lung c hurting the lung tissues, In this study, we measured the subway radon level at 9 stations o According to test results, we can figure out the concentration of radon by lines, times, and m points. So, it was found that ventilation conditions are the most important factors in the su quality. Finally, we suggested effective and economic management methods of air pollution subway.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.99-106
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• 2016

When radon is staying at alveoli and bronchial tubes, the collapse of radon creates progeny nuclides (alpha ray, beta ray, gamma ray, etc.). They emit radiation causing a mutation in the chromosome of the cell, resulting in lung cancer. In other words, the main cause of lung cancer is radiation emitting as the result of radon collapse rather than radon gas. The 82% of radiation exposed to people is the natural radiation. Most of the natural radiation is radon. If we properly control the concentration of radon indoors, the probability of occurrence of lung cancer could be decreases to be 70%. Until now, to measure the indoor radon concentration, imported radon sensors are needed. So, DB construction of indoor radon emission and popular radon measuring apparatus should be developed. In this paper, we propose the radon detecting method using PIN photodiode. Also, we confirmed the PIN photodiode could be used as radon sensor module through some experimental studies.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 2013

Objective: Building materials can generate radon in indoor environments. This study aims to assess the radon concentrations of studio apartments around a university. Methods: 25 studio apartments around a University in Gyoungsan, Korea were measured for concentrations of radon. We evaluated the radon concentrations by using short-term continuous radon monitors at the studio apartments around the university, and analyzed the correlation between indoor radon concentration and factors affecting it, such as year of construction. Results: The average concentration of radon was 2.03 pCi/L(75.11 $Bq/m^3$)${\pm}1.34$ in the studio apartments. This radon level was lower than the radon standard for public use facilities in Korea and US EPA's standard of 4 pCi/L. However the measured radon levels were much higher than those previously reported in conventional dwellings. There was a statistically correlation between year of construction and radon concentrations in studio apartment buildings. Conclusion: It is suggested that recently built studio apartments might be constructed with phosphogypsum board that features higher radon emissions, and occupants are highly exposed to radon.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.334-341
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• 2016

Objectives: This study is aimed at examining radon exposure in offices and the factors that can influence the concentrations. Methods: Indoor radon concentrations in a total of 30 places were measured from January 18 to 21, 2016, targeting six buildings in Seoul with different completion years. The measurement was conducted according to the radon measurement guidelines for indoor air suggested by the Ministry of Environment. Results: As a result of comparing each average concentration, underground area concentration was $42.850{\pm}22.501Bq/m^3$, and that of the ground floors was $27.850{\pm}12.232Bq/m^3$, which was lower than the concentration in the underground areas and statistically significant (p=0.045). As a result of comparing the concentration according to whether or not outside air entered, the average concentration for ventilated areas was $24.876{\pm}11.833Bq/m^3$, and the average concentration for enclosed areas was $47.892{\pm}19.375Bq/m^3$. The concentration in ventilated areas was lower at a statistically significant level (p=0.001). Finally, as a result of the multiple regression analysis for evaluating the factors influencing radon concentration, only ventilation was significant (p=0.007). Conclusions: As a result of measuring radon in office buildings, there was no place that exceeding the recommended standard of the US EPA, but the concentration in poorly ventilated areas was measured to be high. An effort to manage radon concentration and reduce it through the improvement of ventilation systems, repeated measurement is necessary in the future.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.10
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• pp.2370-2378
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• 2020

Building materials contribute significantly to the indoor radon and thoron levels. Therefore, parameters that influence the exhalation rates of radon and thoron from building material need to be analyzed closely. As a preliminary study, the effects of humidity on exhalation rates were measured using a system with an accumulation chamber and RAD7 detector for Korean brick, Korean soil, and Indonesian brick. Resulting doses to a person who resides in a room constructed from the building materials were assessed by UNSCEAR method for different air exchange rates. The measurements have revealed that Korean brick exhaled the highest radon and thoron while Indonesian brick exhaled the lowest thoron. Results showed that for a typical low dense material, radon and thoron exhalation rate will increase until reached its maximum at a certain value of humidity and will remain saturated above it. Analysis on concentration and effective dose showed that radon is strongly affected by air exchange rate (ACH). This is showed by about 66 times decrease of radon dose from 0.00 h^-1 to those of 0.50 h^-1 ACH and decrease by a factor of 2 from 0.50 h^-1 to those of 0.80 h^-1. In case of thoron, the ACH doesn't have significant effects on effective dose.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.397-412
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• 1996

This study aims to present the fundamental strategies to improve the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in apartment buildings. To investigate the concentration of indoor air pollutants such as radon, formaldehyde, and VOCs, both the document survey and the field measurement were conducted. In addition, to identify the source of the air pollutants, the laboratory experiment was carried out for various building materials. Finally, the minimum period to be reserved befor3e building occupation to ensure healthy IAQ, which largely depends on the ventilation rates, was simulated using a simple compuer program. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. In case of newly-constructed apartment houses, concentrations of formaldehyde, VOCs and radon were found to exceed the standard. Meanwhile, at existing apartment houses, concentrations of VOCs, particularly toluene and xylene, highly exceeded the standasrd level. Concentrations of formaldehyde and radon, however, had been lowered according to the duration of occupation. 2. The laboratory experiment of concentration of pollutants per square meter of building material surface area showed that radon gas was much emitted from the gypsumboard; formaldehyde from flooring and wallpaper; and VOCs from paints and kitchen furnishings. The emission rates of formaldehyde and VOCs were proportional to air temperature. 3. According to the simulation of the minimum period to be reserved before occupation, newly-constructed airtight houses required about 190-200 days, and naturally ventialted houses with fully-open-windows required about 20-45days, in order to keep the level of radon gas lower than standard. Therefore, with the current practice, the date of occupation should be delayed for about 15 days.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.189-214
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• 2000

Three study areas of Kwanak campus(Seoul National University), Gapyung and Boeun were selected and classified according to bedrock types in order to investigate soil-gas radon concentrations. Several soil-gas samples showed relatively high radon concentrations in the residual soils which derived from granite bedrock. It also showed that water content of soil and the degree of radioactivity disequilibrium was a secondary factor governing radon emanation and distribution of radon radioactivity. The results of radon concentrations and working levels for forty rooms in Kwanak campus, Seoul National University, showed that indoor basement rooms under poor ventilation condition can be classified as high radon risk zone having more than EPA guideline(4 pCi/L). Some results of section analysis which was surveyed in the fault zone of Kyungju and Gapyung area confirmed the existence of fault-associated radon anomalies with a meaning of radon risk zone.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact by comparing the concentration of indoor radon and look for ways to lower the concentration of indoor radon gas measurements of three variables, the year of completion, volume of the building and ventilation. Measurement target is six classrooms on the sixth floor of building that was constructed in 1973 and was extended in 2011. Selected classroom's volume is different. Four classrooms were selected to compare the radon concentration in accordance with the year of completion, Classrooms that is same year of completion were selected to compare the radon concentration in accordance with the volume, six classroom was performed closure and ventilation to compare radon concentration according to ventilation. Radon concentrations in accordance with the year of building completion showed a high concentration of radon in a building recently built. Also, Radon concentration in volume is high the smaller the volume. Radon concentration change according to ventilation showed a reduction of about 80% when the ventilation than during closing. Especially, The radon concentrations were high detected while the recently year of building completion and the smaller volume. Ventilation of the three variables is considered that can be expected to exposure reduction effect by radon affecting the greatest radon concentration reduction.