Utility of Short-Term Basement Screening Radon Measurements to Predict Year-Long Residential Radon Concentrations on Upper Floors

Details

• Personal Author:
  Barros N ; Field RW ; Steck DJ
• Description:
  This study investigated temporal and spatial variability between basement radon concentrations (measured for approx. 7 d using electret ion chambers) and basement and upper floor radon concentrations (measured for 1 y using alpha track detectors) in 158 residences in Iowa, USA. Utility of short-term measurements to approximate a person's residential radon exposure and effect of housing/occupant factors on predictive ability were evaluated. About 60 % of basement short-term, 60 % of basement year-long and 30 % of upper floor year-long radon measurements were equal to or above the United States Environmental Protection Agency's radon action level of 148 Bq m-3. Predictive value of a positive short-term test was 44 % given the year-long living space concentration was equal to or above this action level. Findings from this study indicate that cumulative radon-related exposure was more closely approximated by upper floor year-long measurements than short-term or year-long measurements in the basement. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Occupational Health
  • Safety
• Keywords:
  • Radon
  • Environmental exposure
  • Radiation exposure
  • Radiation levels
  • Indoor environments
  • Seasonal factors
  • Measurement equipment
• ISSN:
  0144-8420
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Iowa ; Minnesota ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  405-413
• Volume:
  171
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069053
• Citation:
  Radiat Prot Dosim 2016 Nov; 171(3):405-413
• Contact Point Address:
  R. William Field, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
• Email:
  bill-field@uiowa.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  • Radon (CAS RN 10043-92-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Performing Organization:
  University of Iowa
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Radiation Protection Dosimetry
• End Date:
  20290630
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207603/cdc_207603_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 302.68 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ab2c732a25f62ff9946a9404b823fd5cc8383ba15a9366bd1feb09f0fb97c78b8b2c9a42f88af116102279ea191e2f257a4cececcdeffbb805969f435d43b50b