A simple approach to measure the radon equilibrium factor F from air filter gross beta counting.
The internal alpha dose assessment (ICRP 65, 1994) depends on the value of the equilibrium factor F. This parameter is generally not measured and a mean conventional value ranging between 0.4 and 0.6 is assumed, possibly leading to a significant bias in the dose assessments. In this paper, a method for the measurement of F is reported, based on the total aerosol sampling on filters and immediate gross beta counting of 214Pb and 214Bi activities. Measurements are interpreted according to a Raabe-Wrenn and Jacobi simplified room model, leading to an estimate of the individual airborne activities of short-lived radon daughters, the removal parameter and the equilibrium factor. The method was laboratory tested and validated and it is being qualified by field surveys in different indoor environmental conditions.
Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy Dipartimento Tematico Radiazioni Ionizzanti, ARPA Piemonte, 10015 Ivrea, Italy linda.panero@gmail.com.
L M
LM
Panero
Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy.
G
G
Arman
Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy.
M
M
Caccia
Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy.
D
D
Cavallo
Dipartimento Tematico Radiazioni Ionizzanti, ARPA Piemonte, 10015 Ivrea, Italy.
E M
EM
Chiaberto
Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy.
V
V
Chmill
ARPA Valle d'Aosta, 11020 Saint Christophe, Italy.
M
M
Faure Ragani
Dipartimento Tematico Radiazioni Ionizzanti, ARPA Piemonte, 10015 Ivrea, Italy.
M
M
Magnoni
D000336:Aerosols; D061808:Air Filters; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D001610:Beta Particles; D001729:Bismuth / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*
D000336:Aerosols; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes; D011886:Radon; D001729:Bismuth