A comparison of retrospective radon gas measurement techniques carried out in the Serbian spa of Niška Banja

Abstract

Indoor radon retrospective concentrations were obtained and compared using two radon measurement methods. Both methods rely on the measurement of the long-lived radon progeny 210Pb, collected either on the surfaces (surface trap technique), most frequently glass, or in a volume trap, usually sponge from furniture (volume trap technique). These techniques have been used to retrospectively estimate radon gas concentrations that have existed in dwellings in the past. The work presented here compares the results provided by the surface trap technique devised at the University College of Dublin, Ireland, and the volume trap technique devised at the Scientific Research Center, Mol, Belgium. The field campaign was carried out by the research team of the ECE Laboratory of the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences at the spa of Niška Banja, identified as a region of Serbia with a high indoor radon and ground water radium and radon content.

Keywords

• indoor radon
• retrospective measurement
• surface trap
• volume trap