Soil and building material as main sources of indoor radon in Băiţa-Ştei radon prone area (Romania)

The reuse of industrial by-products is important for members of numerous industrial sectors. However, though the benefits of reuse are evident from an economical point of view, some compounds in these materials can have a negative effect on users' health.In this study, the radon emanation and exhalation features of red mud were surveyed using heattreatment (100 to 1200°C). As a result of the 1200°C-treated samples, massic radon exhalation capacity reduced from 75 ± 10 mBq kg -1 h -1 to 7 ± 4 mBq kg -1 h -1 , approximately 10% of the initial exhalation rate.To find an explanation for internal structural changes, the porosity features of the heat-treated samples were also investigated. It was found that the cumulative pore volume reduced significantly in less than 100 nm, which can explain the reduced massic exhalation capacity in the high temperature treated range mentioned above.SEM snapshots were taken of the surfaces of the samples as visual evidence for superficial morphological changes. It was found that the surface of the high temperature treated samples had changed, proving the decrement of open pores on the surface.

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“…Szabó et al 2013;Trevisi et al 2012, Cosma et al 2013 contributes to natural background radiation in two ways.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influencing effect of heat-treatment on radon emanation and exhalation characteristic of red mud

Sas

Szántó

Kovács

et al. 2015

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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“…The risk is reflected by previous research that showed that indoor radon concentrations for about 30% of all studied dwellings exceeded the threshold of 300 Bq/m 3 , recommended as a reference level by the ICRP [51,52]. Table 1.…”

Section: Research Aimsmentioning

confidence: 74%

Setting the Scene for a Healthier Indoor Living Environment: Citizens’ Knowledge, Awareness, and Habits Related to Residential Radon Exposure in Romania

Petrescu

Petrescu-Mag

2017

Sustainability

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Abstract:The present research is based on the premise that people perceive radiation risks in different ways, depending on their cultural background, information exposure, economic level, and educational status, which are specific to each country. The main objective was to assess and report, for the first time, the Romanians' attitude (perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors) related to residential radon, in order to contribute to the creation of a healthier living environment. A convenience sample of 229 people from different parts of Romania, including radon prone areas, was used. Results profiled a population vulnerable to radon threats from the perspective of their awareness and perceptions. Thus, study results showed that most participants did not perceive the risk generated by radon exposure as significant to their health; only 13.1% of interviewed people considered the danger to their health as "high" or "very high". Additionally, it was found that awareness of radon itself was low: 62.4% of the sample did not know what radon was. From a practical perspective, the study shows that in Romania, increasing awareness, through the provision of valid information, should be a major objective of strategies that aim to reduce radon exposure. The present study takes a bottom-up perspective by assessing Romanian citizens' attitudes toward radon. Therefore, it compensates for a gap in the behavioral studies literature by providing practical support for radon risk mitigation and creating the premises for a healthier living environment.

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“…Among the types of ionizing radiation, radon is the most important radioactive gas; it originates from rocks and soil and can concentrate in enclosed spaces such as houses [57]. Radon gas from soil has gained recognition as the most important source of household radon [58,59]. Similarly, building materials and groundwater are also treated as sources of radon [57,59].…”

Section: Organic and Inorganic Chemical Sources Of Household Air Pollmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of household air pollution on human health: source identification and systematic management approach

Ahmed

Hossain

et al. 2019

SN Appl. Sci.

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Household air pollution (HAP) is one of the most important global environmental and public health issues. As a result of changes in air composition due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, air quality is deteriorating and outdoor pollution is increasing daily. Simultaneously, poor ventilation, microbial growth, tobacco smoke, solid fuel use, and different toxic chemicals are causing deterioration in household air quality, which contributes significantly to the global burden of disease. This paper reviews the available literature to examine the impact of HAP on human health, comprehensively identifies the sources of HAP, and synthesize management approaches to reducing the severity of HAP. The English language databases PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Science Direct were searched using the key terms: HAP, particulate matter, health risks, public health, pollutant sources, burden of diseases, and management approach. Bibliographies of all relevant articles were also screened to find further useful articles. This review addresses all possible sources of HAP that are categorized as biological or chemical (organic and inorganic) and are associated with grave public health threats, such as lung function reduction, respiratory illness, asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, eye diseases, pregnancy complications, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Suggested approaches, including compliance with international guidelines and regulatory frameworks, pollutant source reduction methods, and fulfillment of international environmental laws, conventions, agreements, protocols, and treaties, can be effectively adopted to mitigate household air pollutants, reduce the global burden of disease, and promote household environments that support better human health. The sources of HAP and its health impacts should be considered in the development of future policies concerning reduction in all household air pollutants worldwide. Therefore, this review establishes the groundwork for future studies assessing the effectiveness of strategies aimed at creating sound household environments to promote better human health.

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Soil and building material as main sources of indoor radon in Băiţa-Ştei radon prone area (Romania)

Cited by 81 publications

References 16 publications

Influencing effect of heat-treatment on radon emanation and exhalation characteristic of red mud

Influencing effect of heat-treatment on radon emanation and exhalation characteristic of red mud

Setting the Scene for a Healthier Indoor Living Environment: Citizens’ Knowledge, Awareness, and Habits Related to Residential Radon Exposure in Romania

Impact of household air pollution on human health: source identification and systematic management approach

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