• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.353-360
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• 2015

Boiling is an efficient removal method to reduce radon in groundwater when ventilating indoor air. 13 groundwater samples with various radon concentrations were used to evaluate the reduction rate of radon with heating temperature and time. The groundwater samples were obtained by Bladder pump and on-situ measurements such as dissolved oxygen (DO) and hydrogen concentration (pH) and so on were carried out by a flow cell system isolated from the ambient atmosphere environment. All samples for measuring radon in groundwater were analyzed by liquid scintillation counter (LSC). The experiment result showed that increasing groundwater temperature enhanced radon removal rate but the initial radon concentration with high level lowered the removal rate. This means that radon reduction in groundwater by heating needs more heating energy and longer heating time with radon concentrations. Radon removal rate in groundwater, therefore, mainly depends on the initial radon concentration, heating temperature, and heating time.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2017

Objectives: Radon may be second only to smoking as a cause of lung cancer. Radon is a colorless, tasteless radioactive gas that is formed via the radioactive decay of radium. Therefore, radon levels can build up based on the amount of radium contained in construction materials such as phospho-gypsum board or when ventilation rates are low. This study provides our findings from evaluation of radon gas at facilities and offices in an industrial complex. Methods: We evaluated the office rooms and processes of 12 manufacturing factories from May 14, 2014 to September 23, 2014. Short-term data were measured by using real-time monitoring detectors(Model 1030, Sun Nuclear Co., USA) indoors in the office buildings. The radon measurements were recorded at 30-minute intervals over approximately 48 hours. The limit of detection of this instrument is $3.7Bq/m^3$. Also, long-term data were measured by using ${\alpha}-track$ radon detectors(${\alpha}-track$, Rn-tech Co., Korea) in the office and factory buildings. Our detectors were exposed for over 90 days, resulting in a minimum detectable concentration of $7.4Bq/m^3$. Detectors were placed 150-220 cm above the floor. Results: Radon concentrations averaged $20.6{\pm}17.0Bq/m^3$($3.7-115.8Bq/m^3$) in the overall area. The monthly mean concentration of radon by building materials were in the order of gypsum>concrete>cement. Radon concentrations were measured using ${\alpha}-track$ in parallel with direct-reading radon detectors and the two metric methods for radon monitoring were compared. A t-test for the two sampling methods showed that there is no difference between the average radon concentrations(p<0.05). Most of the office buildings did not have central air-conditioning, but several rooms had window- or ceiling-mounted units. Employees could also open windows. The first, second and third floors were used mainly for office work. Conclusions: Radon levels measured during this assessment in the office rooms of buildings and processes in factories were well below the ICRP reference level of $1,000Bq/m^3$ for workplaces and also below the lower USEPA residential guideline of $148Bq/m^3$. The range of indoor annual effective dose due to radon exposure for workers working in the office and factory buildings was 0.01 to 1.45 mSv/yr. Construction materials such as phospho-gypsum board, concrete and cement were the main emission sources for workers' exposure.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2017

Radon ($Rn^{222}$) is a radioactive gas and is found at high concentrations underground. Investigations were done in many years specifically on public transportations such as in the subway stations, concourses and platforms for these are located underground areas. This study correlates the $Rn^{222}$ concentrations with the Particulate Matter (PM) concentration for the gas could be attached or trapped inside these particles. It was done on the opening subway tunnel of Miasageori Station going to Mia Station (Line 4) last August 2016. Based on the result, the $Rn^{222}$ were more influenced on the mass ratio (%) of PM present in the air instead of its mass concentration (${\mu}g/m^3$). As the $PM_{10}$ mass ratio increases ($42.32{\pm}1.03%$) during morning rush-hours, radon starts to increase up to $0.97{\pm}0.03pCi/L$. But during the afternoon $Rn^{222}$ concentrations decreased while the composition were stable at $22.96{\pm}3.0%$, $39.04{\pm}0.6%$ and $38.01{\pm}0.3%$ in $PM_1$, $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ respectively. It was then assumed that it could be the composition of the morning hours of the station were influencing the concentration of the radon.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1991

Effective dose equivalents resulting from inhalation of indoor radon-222 daughters at 12 residential areas in Korea were assessed by a simple mathematical lung dosimetry model based on the measurements of long-term averaged radon concentrations at 340 dwellings. The long-term averaged indoor radon-222 concentrations and corresponding eqilibrium equivalent radon $concentration(EEC_{Rn})$ measured by passive time-integrating CR-39 radon cups are in the range of $33.82{\sim}61.42Bq/m^3(median\;:\;48.90Bq/m^3)$ and of $13.53{\sim}24.57Bq/m^3(median\;:\;19.55Bq/m^3)$, respectively. The effective dose equvalent conversion factor for the exposure to unit $EEC_{Rn}$ derived in this study was estimated $1.07{\times}10^{-5}mSv/Bq\;h\;m^{-3}$ for a reference adult and agreed well with those recommended by the ICRP and UNSCEAR. The annual average dose equivalent to the lung $(H_{LUNG})$ from inhalation exposure to measured $EEC_{Rn}$ was estimated to be 20.90 mSv and resulting effective dose $equivalent(H_E)$ was to be 1.25 mSv, which is about 50% of the natural radiation exposure of 2.40 mSv/y to the public reported by the UNSCEAR.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.9-17
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• 2020

The ratio of the deterioration housing in rural area was 29.6%, but it was 18.3% in urban area based on a 2018 survey. In consideration of the point, this study aims to analyze the actual condition of indoor air quality in rural houses to provide basic data for improving the indoor air environment. It was investigated 15housings of Hongseong-gun, Chungchengnam-do. To investigate the correlation between indoor air quality and housing type, both the field survey of housing type and precision diagnosis of concentration of indoor air pollutants such as HCHO, TVOC, Fine dust(PM-10, PM-2.5), CO₂, Radon. The results of this study are as follows. First, according to the average value of each element of rural old housing, the construction year was distributed in 1939~2004, and 12households(80%) living in houses older than 30years have passed for about 46years. As for the housing area, more than 12houses(80%) of 60㎡ or more and 3 houses (20%) of less than 60㎡ were often living in relatively small-scale housing. Second, as a result of measuring indoor air pollutants in rural houses, substances exceeding the standard values were found in HCHO, TVOC, CO₂. Third, in the case of Fine dust and Radon, none of such factors were exceeded the standard. Fourth, there was no significant difference in indoor air quality depending on housing type in rural houses. This paper is expected to contribute to the regional development projects and effective implementation of rural policies.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.538-550
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• 2008

Radon is an invisible, odorless, and radioactive gas. It is formed by the disintegration of radium, which is a decay product of uranium. Some amounts of radon gas and its products are present ubiquitously in the soil, water, and air. Particularly high radon levels occur in regions of high uranium content. Although radon is permeable into indoor environment not only through geological features (bed rock and permeability) but also through the construction materials and underground water, the radiation from the geological features is generally main exposure factor. So there can be a problem in a certain space such as the underground and/or relatively poor ventilation condition. In this study, a GIS technique was used in order to investigate spatial distribution of radon measured from sub- way stations of 1 thru 8 in Seoul, Korea in 1991, 1998, 2001, and 2006. Spatial analysis was applied to reproduce the radon distribution. We utilized spatial analysis techniques such as inverse distance weighted averaging (IDW) and kriging techniques which are widely used to relate between different spatial points. To validate the results from the analyses, the jackknife technique for an uncertainty test was performed. When the number of measuring sites was less than 100 and also when the number of omitted sites increased, the kriging technique was better than IDW. On the other hand, when the number of sites was over 100, IDW technique was better than kriging technique. Thus the selection of analytical tool was affected sensitives by the analysis based on the number of measuring sites.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2018

Radon gas is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that occurs when uranium, a natural radioactive material in rocks and soils, collapses. 85% of the annual radiation exposure of the human body is due to natural radiation, of which 50% is radon. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) survey, 62 out of 1,000 smokers and 7 out of 1,000 nonsmokers are exposed to lung cancer when exposed to radon gas for a long time. In order to reduce the risk of radon gas, activate carbon was used to fabricate matrix, and the pore properties and radon reduction properties were investigated. When the activate carbon was used, the radon gas concentration was drastically reduced and the graph was changed as the measurement period became longer. The pore distribution and microporous properties, which are one of the material properties of activate carbon, can be grasped.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.297-298
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• 1999

라돈과 라돈 낭핵종은 예전부터 생활환경 중에 존재해 왔던 것으로 최근 산업화등으로 인해 급격히 증가하는 다른 오염물질과는 그 발생원이 다소 차이가 있지만 폐암, 위암등의 암을 유발시키는 중요한 요인이라는 것이 미국, 캐나다, 체코의 우라늄 광산 및 스웨덴, 영국의 비우라늄 광산에서 확인된 바 있어 그 관리의 중요성이 나날이 대두되고 있다(Guimond 등, 1979; UN, 1977).(중략)

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.117-124
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• 2020

In this paper, we proposed a plan to maintain comfortable indoor air quality in nursing homes by suggesting ways to reduce items temporarily exceeding the reference values through real-time concentration variation analysis of indoor air quality. Five items including PM10, CO₂, CO, VOC, and Radon are measured at nursing homes in spring (April) and autumn (September) was carried out and all of the measured items were analyzed to satisfy the criteria set by the Indoor Air Quality Control Act. As a result of the analysis of the real-time concentration change, the concentration of CO₂ was close to the reference value based on the number of occupants in the sick room. Due to the disinfectant (alcohol) used to disinfect and the auxiliary tools (adhesive) used in the operation of the program such as making and coloring, it was analyzed to temporarily exceed the standard value in the hall. In conclusion, it is possible to provide pleasant indoor air quality and contribute to securing the nursing home's competitiveness if periodic ventilation, natural disinfectant and eco-friendly product are used in consideration of the thermal environment.

• 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.