Environmental Geochemistry of Radon at the Taejon City Area in Korea

대전시(大田市) 지역(地域) 라돈 환경(環境) 지화학(地化學) 연구(硏究)

The high radon (Rn222) potentials of soil, groundwater, hotspring and indoor environments in the Taejon city area were delineated by use of an EDA RDA-200 radon detector. The U and Th contents were also analysed using a Multi Channel Analyzer to illustrate the sources of the radon potentials. The average U concentrations in Taejon vary according to the type of granites such as $4.14{\pm}2.36ppm$ in schistose granite (SG), $3.13{\pm}1.70ppm$ in biotite granite (BG) and $3.01{\pm}1.95ppm$ in two mica granite (TG). The U contents in the granites are closely related with the amounts of uraniferous minerals. However, the U contents in the soil are found to be $5.05{\pm}4.75ppm$ in TG, $4.07{\pm}1.69ppm$ in BG and $3.87{\pm}1.91ppm$ in SG which are mainly explained by the different cation exchange capacities (CEC) of the soils from various granites. The levels of soil radon are $552{\pm}656pCi/l$ in SG, in which levels at two locations exceed the level of 1,350 pCi/l established as guideline for follow-up action by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), $443{\pm}284pCi/l$ in TG and $224{\pm}115pCi/l$ in the BG. The soil radon concentrations are found to be proportional to the U content and hardness of the soils. The groundwater radon concentrations in the domestic wells of - 30~-100 m depth show that $6,907{\pm}4,665pCi/l$ in TG, $5,503{\pm}6,551pCi/l$ in SG and $2,104{\pm}1,157pCi/l$ in BG which are positively related with U contents in soils. The radon levels of six groundwater wells in TG and two in SG are greater than guideline for drinking water level, 10,000 pCi/l by EPA (1986). Average radon contents of hotsprings and public bathes in the TG area are $7,071{\pm}1,942pCi/l$ and $1,638{\pm}709pCi/l$, respectively, which are below the EPA standard for remedial action value of the 10,000 pCi/l. The mean indoor radon concentrations of the TG and SG areas are $1.60{\pm}1.20pCi/l$ and $1.60{\pm}0.70pCi/l$, respectively. The elevated indoor radon levels of 5.6 pCi/l and 6.7 pCi/l are found to be particularly in TG area, which exceeds 4 pCi/i guideline, correlating positively with the U contents in the soil and radon concentration in the groundwater.