• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.113-114
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• 2017

Recently, Subway workers have died from lung cancer. According to the Epidemiological Survey of the Welfare Corporation Institute of Pulmonary Disease of the Welfare Corporation, the family members applied for industrial accidents. The radon concentration in the subway work area was found to exceed 10 times the recommended standard value of 148 becquerels (Bq/㎥) in domestic multipurpose facilities. In addition, as a result of the national indoor radon concentration survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment in 2010 and 2013, housing was found to be over 100 becquerels (Bq/㎥) in 41% of the surveyed subjects. In addition, it was found that in 2012, 16.3% of villages exceeded the radon standard value in the survey on natural radioactive materials containing groundwater.

• 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.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.5 s.81
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• pp.469-480
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• 2004

The radon concentrations were measured to survey distribution of radon concentrations in Seoul subway stations. The radon concentrations in air and water were measured at seventeen subway stations(Mapo, Chungjongno, Sodaemun, Kwanghwamun, Chongno3ga, Ulchiro4ga, Tangdaemun, Sangildong on Line 5;Nowon, Chunggye, Hagye, Kongnung, Taenung, Mokkol, Chunghwa, Sangbong, Myomok on Line 7) using the $RAdtrak^{TM}$ radon gas detector, Pylon AB-5 continuous passive radon detector and liquid scintillation counting method from January to May 1999. The major results obtained from this study were as follows: The long-term mean concentrations of radon were $61.8\;Bq/m^3$ in office, $78.9\;Bq/m^3$ in platform, $38.2\;Bq/m^3$ in concourse and $20.1\;Bq/m^3$ in outdoor, respectively. These levels were less than the action level ($148\;Bq/m^3$) of the U.S. EPA. The highest level of short-term mean concentrations was $116.55\;Bq/m^3$ at Chongno3ga station on the 5th line subway stations, while the lowest mean concentration was $19.55\;Bq/m^3$ at Mokkol station on the 7th line subway stations. The highest concentration of radon in the road water and storing underground water in the subway stations was $234.7\;KBq/m^3\;and\;155.5\;KBq/m^3$ in Sodaemun subway station, respectively. The results suggest that radon concentration in subway stations seems to be affected by ventilation and radon concentratin in underground water in the subway stations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2020.11a
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• pp.143-144
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• 2020

For modern people who spend 80% of the day indoors, indoor air quality is an important factor in their lives. Radon and fine dust, which are indoor air quality pollutants, cause various diseases and lung diseases, so a method is needed to reduce them. Therefore, this study intends to utilize the air pollutant adsorption properties of the carbonized sludge by using the carbonized sludge generated through drying and carbonization of the sludge. As a result of the experiment, it was shown that the concentration of radon and fine dust gradually decreased as the replacement ratio of carbonized sludge increased. The reason is that the carbonized sludge has the ability to adsorb fine dust and radon, so it is considered that it gradually decreases as the replacement ratio increases. Also, the compressive strength and flexural strength tend to decrease gradually. The reason for this is that the carbonized sludge has a number of internal voids, and as the replacement ratio increases, the internal voids increase and the strength decreases. If the refinement and strength of the carbonized sludge replacement ratio are supplemented, it is believed that it will be able to replace the existing finishing materials.

• 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 the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2019

In this study, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the properties of cement matrix using diatomite and silica gel as adsorbents of radon. The adsorption properties of diatomite of a natural adsorbent and silica gel of an artificial sorbent were examined to confirm the reduction of radon gas concentration of the removal of radon gas in the indoor environment of the human body. We conducted a performance evaluation for the study. The fluidity, air content, density, absorption, flexural failure load, thermal conductivity and radon gas concentration of the specimen using diatomite and silica gel were measured. the fluidity and the air content of the adsorbed matrix with diatomite were decreased as the diatomite replacement ratio increased. Which seems to affect the subsequent matrix by the absorption of the compounding water of diatomite. As the replacement rate of silica gel increased, the fluidity decreased and the air content increased up to constant replacement rate. It is judged that the surface of the silica gel has a critical point at which it can react with moisture.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2018

Radon gas, which is present on the earth, is a primary carcinogen released from rocks, soil, building materials, etc., and exists as a unique gas phase. In order to solve the risk of radon gas, we evaluated the basic performance which can be used as indoor finishing materials in addition to the radon gas reduction properties of the matrix using anthracite. An anthracite used as a conventional filter material was used to produce a matrix, and a test was conducted to replace the gypsum board, which is one of the building materials used in the existing room. As the anthracite replacement ratio increases, flexural failure load strength increases and thermal conductivity tends to decrease. Depending on the thickness of the board, the reduction performance of radon gas shows a slight difference.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1997

The high radon (Rn222) potentials of soil, groundwater, hotspring and indoor environments in the Taejon city area were delineated by use of an EDA RDA-200 radon detector. The U and Th contents were also analysed using a Multi Channel Analyzer to illustrate the sources of the radon potentials. The average U concentrations in Taejon vary according to the type of granites such as $4.14{\pm}2.36ppm$ in schistose granite (SG), $3.13{\pm}1.70ppm$ in biotite granite (BG) and $3.01{\pm}1.95ppm$ in two mica granite (TG). The U contents in the granites are closely related with the amounts of uraniferous minerals. However, the U contents in the soil are found to be $5.05{\pm}4.75ppm$ in TG, $4.07{\pm}1.69ppm$ in BG and $3.87{\pm}1.91ppm$ in SG which are mainly explained by the different cation exchange capacities (CEC) of the soils from various granites. The levels of soil radon are $552{\pm}656pCi/l$ in SG, in which levels at two locations exceed the level of 1,350 pCi/l established as guideline for follow-up action by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), $443{\pm}284pCi/l$ in TG and $224{\pm}115pCi/l$ in the BG. The soil radon concentrations are found to be proportional to the U content and hardness of the soils. The groundwater radon concentrations in the domestic wells of - 30~-100 m depth show that $6,907{\pm}4,665pCi/l$ in TG, $5,503{\pm}6,551pCi/l$ in SG and $2,104{\pm}1,157pCi/l$ in BG which are positively related with U contents in soils. The radon levels of six groundwater wells in TG and two in SG are greater than guideline for drinking water level, 10,000 pCi/l by EPA (1986). Average radon contents of hotsprings and public bathes in the TG area are $7,071{\pm}1,942pCi/l$ and $1,638{\pm}709pCi/l$, respectively, which are below the EPA standard for remedial action value of the 10,000 pCi/l. The mean indoor radon concentrations of the TG and SG areas are $1.60{\pm}1.20pCi/l$ and $1.60{\pm}0.70pCi/l$, respectively. The elevated indoor radon levels of 5.6 pCi/l and 6.7 pCi/l are found to be particularly in TG area, which exceeds 4 pCi/i guideline, correlating positively with the U contents in the soil and radon concentration in the groundwater.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.335.2-335.2
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• 2003

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.27-28
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• 2019

Recently, a bed company detected a radon more than Red Politics and became a hot topic of conversation. This has led to increased interest in radon, and a number of free-of-charge bodies have also been established to recognize the dangers of radon. In addition, the Korean Institute of Geological and Resource Research is planning to assist the installation of radon alarm systems in 10,000 households nationwide, free of charge. Since radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that causes lung cancer, it aims to reduce lung cancer incidence by absorbing radon using bamboo activated carbon as a way to reduce it. Due to the use of bamboo activated carbon, radon concentration per hour tends to decrease as substitution rate increases, and table flow tends to decrease as substitution rate increases. Through this experiment, 30% of the replacement rate of bamboo activated carbon is judged to be the most suitable replacement rate.