A practical approach to limit the radiation dose from building materials applied in dwellings, in compliance with the Euratom Basic Safety Standards

Smetsers, R.C.G.M.; Tomas, Jasper

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.10.007

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…These results further demonstrate that thoron is being exhaled from earthen-sourced building materials and diffuses further into the room air. Any surface covering impedes the advective dispersion of thoron into the room air [5] and results in enhanced thoron concentrations in the limited trapped air volume behind the coverings.…”

Section: Geofluidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nearly all dry natural mud surfaces contain sufficient amounts of radioisotopes that provide a significant source for thoron exhalation [24]. The surface layer of soil or other earthen building materials containing 232 Th exhales thoron into indoor air [5,25]. The results of these studies identified thoron as a significant contributor to the indoor radiation exposure of inhabitants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Additional significant sources of natural radiation include cosmic radiation and 40 K exposure. However, unlike indoor radon exposure, the latter sources cannot be managed [5]. The dangers of indoor radon exposure have led to guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) and public health legislation in many countries to require radon monitoring and mitigation [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The disproportionate focus on 222 Rn ignored the contribution of 220 Rn to the total inhalation dose when evaluating significant sources of natural radiation. Thoron and its progeny have not even been officially considered into the contexts of official safety thresholds of indoor radiation exposure [5]. This misconception was based on knowledge of its relatively short half-life of 55.6 seconds and its short diffusion distance from emission sources ( [13][14][15][16]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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²²⁰Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

et al. 2019

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Thoron’s (220Rn) contribution to α-radiation exposure is usually considered negligible compared to that of 222Rn (radon). Despite its short half-life of 55.6 seconds, thoron can be exhaled from porous surface layers of building materials into indoor air where people subsequently inhale radioisotopes, including metallic radioactive progeny. Bare surfaces of dry porous soil with relatively high 232Th content can pose a thoron radiation hazard in indoor air. On northern Vietnam’s Đồng Văn karst plateau, the spatial distribution of thoron was determined in indoor air of traditional earthen and other types of dwellings using portable RAD7 and SARAD® RTM 2200 detectors. “Mud houses” are constructed with local compacted soil and typically do not have any floor or wall coverings (i.e., no plaster, wallpaper, or paint). Detailed measurements in a mud house revealed levels of thoron in room air averaging >500 Bq m-3. The spatial distribution of α-radiation from thoron in indoor air at a distance of about 1 m from interior walls was fairly homogeneous and averaged ~200 Bq m-3. Most concerning, from a human health perspective, were the high thoron concentrations of up to 884 Bq m-3 in sleeping areas near mud walls. The average annual thoron radiation dose to inhabitants of mud houses was estimated based on 13 hours of daily occupancy, including daily activities and sleeping. The estimated average thoron inhalation dose of 27.1 mSv a-1 during sleeping hours near mud surfaces accounts for nearly 75% of the total estimated radon and thoron inhalation dose of 37.4 mSv a-1 from indoor mud house air. Our conservative annual radiation dose estimates do not include subsequent radiation from inhaled metallic progeny of thoron. Our data demonstrate a significant human health risk from radiation exposure and a critical need for remediation in traditional northern Vietnamese mud house dwellings.

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Section: Geofluidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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²²⁰Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

et al. 2019

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“…Because of the current lifestyle of social life, people spend more than 60% of the day in buildings, which increases their exposure to radiation [1]. The radioactivity of building materials may affect the human body using two routes of exposure-external (exposure to radiation) and internal (inhalation of air containing derivatives of radioactive radium isotopes) [2,3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Geiger Dosimetry EKO-C Device to Detect Ionizing Radiation Emissions from Building Materials

Gliniak

Dróżdź

Kurpaska

et al. 2021

Sensors

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The purpose of the article is to check and assess what radiation is emitted by particular building materials with the passage of time. The analysis was performed with the EKO-C dosimetry device from Polon-Ekolab. The scope of the work included research on sixteen selected construction materials, divided into five groups. The analysis of the results showed that samples such as bricks (first group) and hollow blocks (second group) emit the highest radiation in the tested objects. When comparing these materials, the highest value was recorded when measuring the ceramic block of 15.76 mSv·yr−1. Taking into account the bricks, the highest value of radiation was shown by a full clinker brick, 11.3 mSv·yr−1. Insulation materials and finishing boards are two other groups of building materials that have been measured. They are characterised by a low level of radiation. In the case of materials for thermal insulation, the highest condition was demonstrated by graphite polystyrene of 4.463 mSv·yr−1, while among finishing boards, the highest value of radiation was recorded for the measurement of gypsum board of 3.76 mSv·yr−1. Comparing the obtained test results to the requirements of the Regulation of the Council of Ministers on ionizing radiation dose limits applicable in Poland, it can be noted that the samples examined individually do not pose a radiation risk to humans. When working with all types of samples, the radiation doses are added up. According to the guidelines of the regulation, the total radiation dose does not exceed 50 mSv·yr−1 and does not constitute a threat to human health.

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Investigation of natural and artificial radioactivity levels in travertines of the Cappadocia region in Turkey

Kamislioglu,

Kocak,

Buyuk

et al. 2024

Environ Geochem Health

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This study determined natural and artificial radionuclide concentrations to evaluate natural radioactivity and health risk levels of nine travertines in the Yaprakhisar and Balkayası regions in Turkey. The samples coded B1-M, B2, B5, B7, B8, and B10 represent waste derived from the Yaprakhisar travertines, as well as samples T5-M, T12, and Z1 travertines derived from Balkayası. The levels of natural and artificial radionuclide concentrations (232Th, 40K, and 137Cs) were measured using a high-purity germanium (HpGe) detector system. The travertine activity ranged from 2.09 to 12.07 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, 4.21 to 13.41 Bq kg−1 for 40K, and 0.42–3.26 Bq kg−1 for 137Cs. The results showed that the activity concentration values for 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs were coherent with the travertine analysis results in the UNSCEAR, 2000; 2008 publications. The values obtained were lower than the average values in the UNSEAR reports. The radiological hazard parameters calculated in this study were absorbed gamma dose rate (D), radium equivalent activity (Raeq), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), exposure dose (ER), total annual effective dose (AEDEtotal), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCRtotal), gamma representative level (GRL), internal hazard index (Hin) and external hazard index (Hex).

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A practical approach to limit the radiation dose from building materials applied in dwellings, in compliance with the Euratom Basic Safety Standards

Cited by 18 publications

References 10 publications

²²⁰Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

²²⁰Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

Using Geiger Dosimetry EKO-C Device to Detect Ionizing Radiation Emissions from Building Materials

Investigation of natural and artificial radioactivity levels in travertines of the Cappadocia region in Turkey

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A practical approach to limit the radiation dose from building materials applied in dwellings, in compliance with the Euratom Basic Safety Standards

Cited by 18 publications

References 10 publications

220Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

220Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

Using Geiger Dosimetry EKO-C Device to Detect Ionizing Radiation Emissions from Building Materials

Investigation of natural and artificial radioactivity levels in travertines of the Cappadocia region in Turkey

Contact Info

Product

Resources

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²²⁰Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

²²⁰Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam