• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.17 no.E2
• /
• pp.43-51
• /
• 2001

A report by the national research council in the United States suggested that many lung cancer deaths each year be associated with breathing radon in indoor air. Most of the indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement of foundations. Recently, radon released from groundwater is found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study presents the quantitative assessment of human exposures to radon released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a three-compartment model is developed to describe the transfer and distribution of radon released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. Then, to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon for an adult. a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic(PBPK) model is developed. The use of a PBPK model for the inhaled radon could provide useful information regarding the distribution of radon among the organs of the human body. Indoor exposure patterns as input to the PBPK model are a more realistic situation associated with indoor radon pollution generated from a three-compartment model describing volatilization of radon from domestic water into household air. Combining the two models for inhaled radon in indoor air can be used to estimate a quantitative human exposure through the inhalation of indoor radon for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios. The results obtained from the present study would help increase the quantitative understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2002

This study was taken in general hospital, hotel, shopping center, underground cafe, school, house, for the purpose of investigating the distribution of indoor radon concentration in urban area, by E-PERM which approved U.S. EPA, between August and November 1999. There are two sampling Places were exceed 148 ㏃/㎥(4 pCi/L; U.S EPA remedial level), difference mean is 24.0㏃/㎥ when compared with underground vs. aboveground indoor radon concentration in the same building and ratio is 1.6, so underground area is higher than aboveground (p<0.05). Influencing factors were examined. They related to the location of sampler(detector) open or near the door is lower radon concentration than inside portion, which explains probably open area has better ventilated air and dilutes indoor radon concentration. Temperature has a negative relationship (p<0.05) with indoor radon concentration and relative humidity has a positive (p<0.05) Simultaneously to investigate water radon concentration, collected piped-water and the results were very low, which is the same in piped-water concentration other countries. In conclusion, underground indoor radon concentration is higher than aboveground. Concentration was related to sampling spot, open portion is lower than inside. Higher the temperature, lower the indoor radon concentrations. On the other hand higher the relative humidity, higher the indoor radon concentrations. Indoor radon concentration is influenced by sampling point, temperature, relative humidity.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
• /
• v.59 no.9
• /
• pp.1123-1130
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Exposure to indoor radon is associated with lung cancer. This study aimed to estimate the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon exposure, its burden of disease, and the effects of radon mitigation in Korea in 2010. Materials and Methods: Lung cancer deaths due to indoor radon exposure were estimated using exposure-response relations reported in previous studies. Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated to quantify disease burden in relation to premature deaths. Mitigation effects were examined under scenarios in which all homes with indoor radon concentrations above a specified level were remediated below the level. Results: The estimated number of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon exposure ranged from 1946 to 3863, accounting for 12.5-24.7% of 15623 total lung cancer deaths in 2010. YLLs due to premature deaths were estimated at 43140-101855 years (90-212 years per 100000 population). If all homes with radon levels above $148Bq/m^3$ are effectively remediated, 502-732 lung cancer deaths and 10972-18479 YLLs could be prevented. Conclusion: These findings suggest that indoor radon exposure contributes considerably to lung cancer, and that reducing indoor radon concentration would be helpful for decreasing the disease burden from lung cancer deaths.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.241-249
• /
• 2001

A report by the National Research Council in the United States suggested that many lung cancer deaths each year are associated with breathing radon in indoor air. Most of the indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement of foundation. Recently, radon released from groundwater is found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study presents the assessment of a exposure to radon released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a 3-compartment model is describe the transfer and distribution if radon released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. The model is used to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios, Finally, a sensitivity analysis is used to identify important parameters. The results obtained from the study would help to increase the understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• KIEAE Journal
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 2001

Naturally-ocurring short-lived decay products of radon gas in indoor air are the dominant source of ionizing radiation exposure to the general public. It is written in BEIR VI Report(l999l the radon progeny were identified as the second cause of lung cancer next to cigarette or 10 % to 14 %(15,400 to 21,800 persons p.a.) of all lung cancer deaths in USA. Indoor radon concentrations in houses typically result from radon gaining access to houses mainly from the underlying soil. In the States, they have "Indoor Radon Abatement Act" which was converted from "Toxic Substance Control Act" in 1988 to establish the national long-term goal that indoor air should be as free of radon as the ambient air outside of buildings. To review and study techniques for controlling radon, two test cells were constructed for a series of tests and are under measuring indoor and soil gas (underneath of floor slab)radon concentrations according to EPA's measurement protocol. In this paper, important theoretical studies are previewed and the following paper will explain the test results and confirm the theories reviewed to find out suitable coefficients. On the basis of test analysis, it will be described and evaluated various techniques that can be used to mitigate elevated indoor concentration of radon including the control of radon and its decay products.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.658-667
• /
• 2019

Objective: This study was designed to compare construction types and seasonal radon concentrations in dwellings in Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea. Methods: The measurement of indoor radon concentrations in 79 dwellings using alpha-track detectors was performed every three months (seasonally) over one year between 2015 and 2016. Also, Radon concentrations in soil were measured in spring to investigate the correlations between the concentrations in soil and indoor air. Results: The annual average concentration of indoor radon for dwellings was 89.7±72.1(GM: 72.4) Bq/㎥, with a range (min-max) of 17.2 to 505.4 Bq/㎥. The highest indoor radon concentration was measured in winter and the lowest was shown in summer. The geometric mean of radon concentration in winter was 1.03-2.58 times higher than other seasons. Radon concentrations in soil were investigated at the depth of 1 m, and the concentrations ranged from 1,780 Bq/㎥ to 123,264 Bq/㎥. This showed low correlations with indoor radon concentrations.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.75-82
• /
• 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 Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2017

In this study, the variation of indoor and soil radon concentrations were measured at a test bed (detached house), and correlation analysis was performed using linear regression. The results showed that the average concentration of indoor radon was increased by about 20% when the heater was operated in the house, but it was decreased by 15% when the ventilation system was on. In the changes of seasonal radon concentrations, soil and indoor radon concentrations in winter were higher than in summer. Statistical analysis showed a weak correlation between the soil radon and indoor radon, but the correlation (R=0.852, $R^2=0.726$) was relatively high at exhaust condition in the winter. It is difficult to extrapolate the results of the study to the general cases because radon distribution is highly site-specific, but the result of this study could be used as a reference for radon management and reduction of detached house in the future investigations.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.71-76
• /
• 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 Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.243-249
• /
• 2018

The indoor radon concentration was measured in the lecture room of the university and the radon concentration was converted to the amount related to the radon exposure using the dose conversion convention and compared with the reference levels for the radon concentration control. The effect of indoor radon inhalation was evaluated by estimating the life effective dose and the risk of exposure. To measure the radon concentration, measurements were made with a radon meter and a dedicated analysis Capture Ver. 5.5 program in a university lecture room from January to February 2018. The radon concentration measurement was carried out for 5 consecutive hours for 24 hours after keeping the airtight condition for 12 hours before the measurement. Radon exposure risk was calculated using the radon dose and dose conversion factor. Indoor radon concentration, radon exposure risk, and annual effective dose were found within the 95% confidence interval as the minimum and maximum boundary ranges. The radon concentration in the lecture room was $43.1-79.1Bq/m^3$, and the maximum boundary range within the 95% confidence interval was $77.7Bq/m^3$. The annual effective dose was estimated to be 0.20-0.36 mSv/y (mean 0.28 mSv/y). The life-time effective dose was estimated to be 0.66-1.18 mSv (mean $0.93{\pm}0.08mSv$). Life effective doses were estimated to be 0.88-0.99 mSv and radon exposure risk was estimated to be 12.4 out of 10.9 per 100,000. Radon concentration was measured, dose effective dose was evaluated using dose conversion convention, and degree of health hazard by indoor radon exposure was evaluated by predicting radon exposure risk using nominal hazard coefficient. It was concluded that indoor living environment could be applied to other specific exposure situations.