title: Performance of the first Japanese large-scale facility for radon inhalation experiments with small animals.
abstract: A radon test facility for small animals was developed in order to increase the statistical validity of differences of the biological response in various radon environments. This paper illustrates the performances of that facility, the first large-scale facility of its kind in Japan. The facility has a capability to conduct approximately 150 mouse-scale tests at the same time. The apparatus for exposing small animals to radon has six animal chamber groups with five independent cages each. Different radon concentrations in each animal chamber group are available. Because the first target of this study is to examine the in vivo behaviour of radon and its effects, the major functions to control radon and to eliminate thoron were examined experimentally. Additionally, radon progeny concentrations and their particle size distributions in the cages were also examined experimentally to be considered in future projects.
authors.affiliation: Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 1550 Kamisaibara, Kagamino-cho, Tomata-gun, Okayama 708-0698, Japan. ishimori.yuu@jaea.go.jp
authors.forename: Yuu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishimori
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mitsunobu
authors.forename: Kiyonori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaoka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakoda
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000818:Animals; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007564:Japan; D051379:Mice; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011886:Radon / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D011886:Radon