High radon concentrations in a house near Castleisland, County Kerry (Ireland)--identification, remediation and post-remediation.
In July 2003, a passive radon measurement carried out over a 3-month period in a house near Castleisland in County Kerry (South-West of Ireland) identified a seasonally adjusted annual average concentration of approximately 49 000 Bq m(-3). This is the highest radon concentration ever recorded in a house in Ireland. It is almost 250 times higher than the national reference level of 200 Bq m(-3) for homes and it gives rise to an estimated annual radiation dose of approximately 1.2 Sv to the occupants. This paper describes the identification of the 'Castleisland house' and gives information on the local geology, the levels of natural background radiation in the area and the follow-up actions taken to remediate the house as well as the efforts made to heighten awareness in the locality of the hazards from radon.
Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, 3 Clonskeagh Square, Dublin 14, Republic of Ireland. corgano@rpii.ie
Catherine
C
Organo
Alan
A
Ellard
David
D
Fenton
Hugh
H
Synnott
Maírín
M
O'Colmáin
Suzanne
S
Prenter
Seamus
S
O'Reilly
P A
PA
Colgan
D000398:Air Pollution, Radioactive / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D001417:Background Radiation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection; D011886:Radon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*
D011886:Radon