• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2002

This outline survey of indoor and outdoor radon concentrations in five major cities in Korea was carried out with Electrostatic Integrating Radon Monitor(EIRM) from February to December, 1996 and January to december, 1998. The mean indoor and outdoor radon concentrations in five major cities in 1996 were $21.9{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ and $9.6{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$, respectively. The mean indoor and outdoor radon concentrations in 1998 were $20.8{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ and $9.0{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$, respectively. These were below the U.S.EPA radon action level. The range of indoor to outdoor radon concentrations were $0.8{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3{\;}~{\;}45.6{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ in 1996, $0.5{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3{\;}~{\;}15.2{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ in 1998, respectively. The result of our analysis showed that radon concentrations in indoor air were clearly higher than those in outdoor air. Inspection of seasonal distribute pattern indicates the enhancement during winter relative to summer.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.71-76
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• 2002

A survey of radon concentrations in both indoor and outdoor atmospheres was carried out using EIRM and Cup Monitor for the period of February 1996 to March 1997. EIRM were used to measure the indoor and outdoor radon concentration at five major cities university. Cup Monitor were also used to measure the indoor radon concentrations at shopping store, office building, apartment, hospital and house in Seoul. The mean indoor and outdoor radon concentrations at the five major cities(Seoul, Daegu, Daejon, Cwangiu and Busan) were 24.1 Bq/m$^3$and 8.62 Bq/m$^3$, respectively. The ratio of indoor to outdoor radon concentrations ranged front 1.7 to 3.9. Inspection of its seasonal distribute pattern indicates the enhancement during winter relative to summer, consistently for both indoor and outdoor air. The results of the survey showed that the concentrations in basements were clearly higher than those in usual living/working places.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2024

In order to investigate the knowledge and awareness of radon among public health students, this survey was conducted on second-year health students at three-year universities in the Busan and Gyeongnam regions and the results were analyzed. As a result of this study, firstly, the scores of radon knowledge according to gender were found to be high in men and radiologists, but there was no statistical difference. Second, as a result of the radon awareness survey, the radiology department students had the highest awareness, showing a statistically significant difference. Third, as a result of correlation analysis, the result was that the higher the knowledge about radon, the higher the awareness. Public health students are students who will be working to improve public health after graduation, so increasing their knowledge of radon will help improve public health. Therefore, it is believed that providing education about radon through the curriculum will be helpful in cultivating radon knowledge.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 1993

Indoor radon has been known as one of the notorious carcinogens. However, a safe environmental criterion of radon has not yet been established in Korea, The main objectives of this study were to study concentration distributions of radon, to trace radon sources in subways, and to obtain a strategy for radon reduction in Seoul metropolitan area. Radon concentrations had been extensively determined by several steps. The first step was to survey radon levels in all of 83 subway stations from October to November in 1991. The second step was to select 40 out of 83 stations and then to study seasonal variations in 1991 and 1992. The third step was to monitor radon levels by hourly-basis plans. The fourth step was to seek a radon reduction strategy by altering ventilation at Ankuk station where had the highest radon concentration during the first measurement step. Each underground floor in the station was divided into 10 sites to measure hourly radon variations. The final step of the study was to measure radon concentrations in groundwater that is one of the possible main sources radon place. The result of the various measuring approaches showed short-and long-term radon variation and indicated radon reduction schemes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.11a
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• pp.160-161
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• 2019

Recently, a bed company's product has detected a certain level of radon or higher, making it a popular search word on portal sites. Because of this problem, people are becoming more interested in radon. The government plans to support the establishment of a radon alert system for households through a radon concentration survey of 10,000 households. The use of palm charcoal as an indoor finishing material will reduce the risk of lung cancer through radon reduction. The experiment used a method of replacing palm activated carbon with blast furnace slag, and the adsorption performance of radon tends to increase as the replacement rate of palm activated carbon increases.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.501-503
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• 2003

Soil-gas radon level and other atmospheric factors have been measured at residual soil profiles that overlie granite bedrock which consists of major geology in Korea for 6 months from November, 2000 to April, 2001. Seasonal variations of soil-gas radon concentration are generally of greater magnitude than day-to-day fluctuations. The highest radon concentrations of 5,131 pCi/L measured during winter season and the lowest radon concentrations of 107 pCi/L during spring season. Two study areas, Bongcheon-dong(granite bedrock) and Seongnam-Yongin(gneiss bedrock) were investigated to assess the radon potential according to their field survey and emanation tests. The mean values of radon decrease in sequentially from Suji-A(813 pCi/L)>Suji-B(757 pCi/L)>Bundang-B(691 pCi/L)>Bundang-A(643 pCi/L)>Bongcheon-dong(513 pCi/L). Estimated soil-gas radon potential using maximum radon emanation ratios of each study area decreases in the order of Bongcheondong(950 pCi/L)>Suji-B(524 pCi/L)>Bundang-A(437 pCi/)>Bundang-B(259 pCi/L)>Suji-A(230 pCi/L) areas. The values of indoor radon and its daughter product concentrations in Bongcheon-dong area show that indoor basement rooms in poor ventilation condition could be classified as extremely high radon risk location of more than 4 pCi/L Rn and 0.02 WL.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1107-1114
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• 2016

This research, sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Environment in 2014, was the first epidemiological study in Korea that investigated the health impact assessment of radon exposure. Its purpose was to construct a model that calculated the annual mean cumulative radon exposure concentrations, so that reliable conclusions could be drawn from environment-control group research. Radon causes chronic lung cancer. Therefore, the long-term measurement of radon exposure concentration, over one year, is needed in order to develop a health impact assessment for radon. Hence, based on the seasonal correction model suggested by Pinel et al.(1995), a predictive model of annual mean radon concentration was developed using the year-long seasonal measurement data from the National Institute of Environmental Research, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, the Hanyang University Outdoor Radon Concentration Observatory, and the results from a 3-month (one season) survey, which is the official test method for radon measurement designated by the Korean Ministry of Environment. In addition, a model for evaluating the effective annual dose for radon was developed, using dosimetric methods. The model took into account the predictive model for annual mean radon concentrations and the activity characteristics of the residents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.113-114
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• 2017

Recently, Subway workers have died from lung cancer. According to the Epidemiological Survey of the Welfare Corporation Institute of Pulmonary Disease of the Welfare Corporation, the family members applied for industrial accidents. The radon concentration in the subway work area was found to exceed 10 times the recommended standard value of 148 becquerels (Bq/㎥) in domestic multipurpose facilities. In addition, as a result of the national indoor radon concentration survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment in 2010 and 2013, housing was found to be over 100 becquerels (Bq/㎥) in 41% of the surveyed subjects. In addition, it was found that in 2012, 16.3% of villages exceeded the radon standard value in the survey on natural radioactive materials containing groundwater.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.5 s.81
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• pp.469-480
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• 2004

The radon concentrations were measured to survey distribution of radon concentrations in Seoul subway stations. The radon concentrations in air and water were measured at seventeen subway stations(Mapo, Chungjongno, Sodaemun, Kwanghwamun, Chongno3ga, Ulchiro4ga, Tangdaemun, Sangildong on Line 5;Nowon, Chunggye, Hagye, Kongnung, Taenung, Mokkol, Chunghwa, Sangbong, Myomok on Line 7) using the $RAdtrak^{TM}$ radon gas detector, Pylon AB-5 continuous passive radon detector and liquid scintillation counting method from January to May 1999. The major results obtained from this study were as follows: The long-term mean concentrations of radon were $61.8\;Bq/m^3$ in office, $78.9\;Bq/m^3$ in platform, $38.2\;Bq/m^3$ in concourse and $20.1\;Bq/m^3$ in outdoor, respectively. These levels were less than the action level ($148\;Bq/m^3$) of the U.S. EPA. The highest level of short-term mean concentrations was $116.55\;Bq/m^3$ at Chongno3ga station on the 5th line subway stations, while the lowest mean concentration was $19.55\;Bq/m^3$ at Mokkol station on the 7th line subway stations. The highest concentration of radon in the road water and storing underground water in the subway stations was $234.7\;KBq/m^3\;and\;155.5\;KBq/m^3$ in Sodaemun subway station, respectively. The results suggest that radon concentration in subway stations seems to be affected by ventilation and radon concentratin in underground water in the subway stations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.518-527
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• 2014

Objectives: The adverse health effects attributed to exposure to radon have been well known over the world. However, the efforts for prevention and mitigation of radon have not been taken in Korea so far. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation methods applied for various types of houses and public buildings with high level of radon. Methods: Based on the results of "National Radon Survey" performed by the National Institute of Environmental Research(NIER) in 2010-2012, we selected 30 candidate buildings consisting of 20 houses and 10 public buildings with greater than $148Bq/m^3$ of radon level. We measured the concentration of radon in 30 buildings, using E-PERMs and RAD-7 during January to March of 2013. More than five E-PERMs and one RAD-7 per house were installed for seven days. Ten houses and five public buildings were finally chosen to be mitigated after mainly considering the level of radon and the location of buildings nationwide. Three mitigation methods such as Sealing, two types of Active Ventilation(window-shaped and wall-typed ventilations), and Active Soil Depressurization(ASD) were applied, and the concentrations of radon were measured before and after mitigation, respectively. To evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation methods, reduction rates of radon were calculated and Wilcoxon's signed-rank test was performed. Results: The mean concentration of 15 buildings just before radon mitigation was $297.8Bq/m^3$, and most of the buildings were located in Gangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, and Daegu areas(73.3%), and built in 1959-1998. The level of radon decreased from 48% to 90% and kept the below recommendation limit of $148Bq/m^3$ after installation of radon mitigation. Among mitigation methods applied, the reduction rate(58.7-90.4%) of radon attributed to ASD was the greatest than that of other methods, followed by Active Ventilation(48.4-78.4%) and Sealing(<22%). The effectiveness of radon reduction by window-shaped Active Ventilation(63.2-75.2%) was relatively better than that of wall-typed Active Ventilation(48.4-54.3%). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that ASD could be more effective for radon mitigation. Moreover, our findings would be background information in future for making the strategy for radon mitigation nationwide, as well as for developing Korean-version of mitigation techniques according to types of dwellings in Korea.