Journal of Environmental Health Sciences (한국환경보건학회지)

Korean Society of Environmental Health (한국환경보건학회)
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Effective Doses Estimated According to Characteristics of Airborne Radon and Thoron Levels Generated from Some Household Products

일부 생활용품에서 발생한 공기 중 라돈과 토론의 발생 특성 및 연간 유효선량 추정

  • Park, Dong-Uk (Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University) ;
  • Yi, Seongjin (Asian Citizen's Center for Environment and Health) ;
  • Kim, So-Yeon (Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University) ;
  • Kwak, Hyunseok (Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service) ;
  • Lee, Seunghee (Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University) ;
  • Park, Jihoon (Institute of Health and Environment, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University)
  • 박동욱 (한국방송통신대학교 환경보건학과) ;
  • 이성진 (환경보건시민센터) ;
  • 김소연 (한국방송통신대학교 환경보건학과) ;
  • 곽현석 (근로복지공단 직업환경연구원) ;
  • 이승희 (한국방송통신대학교 환경보건학과) ;
  • 박지훈 (서울대학교 보건환경연구소)
  • Received : 2019.03.28
  • Accepted : 2019.04.20
  • Published : 2019.04.30
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Abstract

Objective: This study aims to analyze the characteristics of airborne radon and thoron level ($Bq/m^3$) generated from household products containing monazites, and estimate the effective doses (mSv/yr). Method: Radon & Thoron detector EQF3220 was used to monitor real-time airborne radon and thoron level ($Bq/m^3$), and their daughters ($Bq/m^3$) were recorded every two hours. Effective doses (mSv/yr) for radon and thoron were estimated according to models developed by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Results: The average levels of radon and thoron were $87.8Bq/m^3$ (range; $20.8-156.3Bq/m^3$) and $1,347.5Bq/m^3$ (range; $4-5,839.7Bq/m^3$), respectively. The average equilibrium factors (F) were 0.23 and 0.007, respectively. The levels of radon progeny were far higher than that thoron. Latex mattress showed the highest F (0.38). The average effective doses were estimated to be ICRP (1.9 mSv/yr) and UNSCER (1.3 mSv/yr) for radon and UNSCEAR (1.6 mSv/yr) for thoron. Conclusions: Our results have far exceeded the allowable effective dose for general population (1 mSv/yr). The government's actions such as the ban of use of consumer products containing monazite and the establishment of surveillance system to evaluate health effects for the people affected should be taken as early as possible.

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