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. 2016 Nov;171(3):405-413.
doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncv416. Epub 2015 Sep 25.

UTILITY OF SHORT-TERM BASEMENT SCREENING RADON MEASUREMENTS TO PREDICT YEAR-LONG RESIDENTIAL RADON CONCENTRATIONS ON UPPER FLOORS

Nirmalla Barros  1 , Daniel J Steck  2 , R William Field  3   4
Affiliations

UTILITY OF SHORT-TERM BASEMENT SCREENING RADON MEASUREMENTS TO PREDICT YEAR-LONG RESIDENTIAL RADON CONCENTRATIONS ON UPPER FLOORS

Nirmalla Barros et al. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2016 Nov.

Abstract

This study investigated temporal and spatial variability between basement radon concentrations (measured for ∼7 d using electret ion chambers) and basement and upper floor radon concentrations (measured for 1 y using alpha track detectors) in 158 residences in Iowa, USA. Utility of short-term measurements to approximate a person's residential radon exposure and effect of housing/occupant factors on predictive ability were evaluated. About 60 % of basement short-term, 60 % of basement year-long and 30 % of upper floor year-long radon measurements were equal to or above the United States Environmental Protection Agency's radon action level of 148 Bq m-3 Predictive value of a positive short-term test was 44 % given the year-long living space concentration was equal to or above this action level. Findings from this study indicate that cumulative radon-related exposure was more closely approximated by upper floor year-long measurements than short-term or year-long measurements in the basement.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Annual living area average radon concentrations predicted from BWS measurements on log (left) and linear (right) scales.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Cumulative radon-related exposure predicted from BWS measurements on log (left) and linear (right) scales.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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