Energy-efficient reconstructions and indoor radon: the impact assessed by CDs/DVDs.
Recent modelling suggests that the expense of energy-efficient building reconstructions can be the enhanced indoor radon levels and the related adverse health impact. Here we show that a couple of home-stored CDs/DVDs can be used to check by direct measurements whether a significant change in radon level occurred in the past after building reconstruction. Radon is continuously absorbed in the polycarbonate material of CDs/DVDs and its average concentration can be determined by etching alpha tracks at a certain depth in the disk. With two disks, one bought before and one after the reconstruction, a change in radon concentration can be detected retrospectively. Within a pilot study of 20 rooms in 16 buildings that underwent energy-efficient interventions years in the past, we observed significant increase in radon concentration (at 95% confidence level) in 35% of the cases, and no case with significant decrease. Direct indication of a radon problem emerged after some of the energy-efficient building interventions was observed. The CD/DVD based approach provides a tool for assessment of the effect of different energy-efficient reconstruction approaches on indoor radon in very short terms and could be useful for finding radon-safe energy-efficient options.
Faculty of Physics, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Sofia, Bulgaria. Electronic address: pressyan@phys.uni-sofia.bg.
Dobromir
D
Pressyanov
Mining and Geology University "St. Ivan Rilski", Sofia, Bulgaria.
Dimitar
D
Dimitrov
Faculty of Physics, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Sofia, Bulgaria.
Ivelina
I
Dimitrova
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D016250:Compact Disks; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D011886:Radon
CD; DVD; Energy efficiency; Health hazard; House reconstruction; Radon