title: Determination of air-loop volume and radon partition coefficient for measuring radon in water sample.
abstract: A simple method for the direct determination of the air-loop volume in a RAD7 system as well as the radon partition coefficient was developed allowing for an accurate measurement of the radon activity in any type of water. The air-loop volume may be measured directly using an external radon source and an empty bottle with a precisely measured volume. The partition coefficient and activity of radon in the water sample may then be determined via the RAD7 using the determined air-loop volume. Activity ratios instead of absolute activities were used to measure the air-loop volume and the radon partition coefficient. In order to verify this approach, we measured the radon partition coefficient in deionized water in the temperature range of 10-30 °C and compared the values to those calculated from the well-known Weigel equation. The results were within 5 % variance throughout the temperature range. We also applied the approach for measurement of the radon partition coefficient in synthetic saline water (0-75 ppt salinity) as well as tap water. The radon activity of the tap water sample was determined by this method as well as the standard RAD-H2O and BigBottle RAD-H2O. The results have shown good agreement between this method and the standard methods.
authors.affiliation: Geologic Environment Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, 124 Gwahang-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-350 Korea.
authors.forename: Kil Yong
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA.
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Burnett
keywords: Air-loop volume; Air–water partitioning; Radon partition coefficient; Salinity; Temperature; Water radon