A study of airborne radon levels in Paarl houses (South Africa) and associated source terms, using electret ion chambers and gamma-ray spectrometry.
Indoor radon ((222)Rn) concentrations were measured in Paarl homes by means of electret ion chambers. The concentrations varied between 28 and 465 Bq m(-3). The average values (Bq m(-3)) found in houses on the west and east side of the Berg River, which bisects Paarl, were 132 (+/-11) and 37 (+/-3), respectively. Radiometric analyses of soils show that the mean (226)Ra activity concentration is three times higher on the west than on the east side of the Berg River.
Lindsay
R
R
Department of Physics, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7537, South Africa. rlindsay@uwc.ac.za
Newman
R T
RT
Speelman
W J
WJ
D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D000398:Air Pollution, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013019:South Africa; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055672:Static Electricity
D011868:Radioisotopes; D011886:Radon