title: Measurement of the equilibrium factor between radon and its progeny in the underground mining environment.
abstract: A scintillation cell and a portable radiation spectrometer for radon progeny were respectively employed to measure the concentration of radon and that of its progeny in the underground gold mine environment. The measured concentrations were subsequently used to calculate the equilibrium factor between radon and its progeny. The results obtained indicate that various locations underground have different values of radon concentration and ratios of radon concentration to its progeny concentration. The differences can be ascribed to variations in grades of uranium at different locations and to some environmental factors such as ventilation, particle concentration, and the deposition of the progeny on surfaces or on the atmospheric aerosol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa. ntwaeab.sci@mail.uovs.ac.za
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Ntwaeaborwa
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Kgwadi
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Taole
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Strydom
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008906:Mining; D008956:Models, Chemical; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D017687:Radon Daughters / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D017687:Radon Daughters; D011886:Radon