{"title":"A straightforward approach for assessing the effectiveness of membrane materials as radon (222Rn) barriers","authors":"M. Schubert, Diana Altendorf, H. Weiss","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2022.2058500","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The ubiquitous presence of the radioisotope radon (222Rn) and its short-lived progeny (218Po, 214Pb, 214Bi, 214Po) is challenging in two respects: (i) Radon is a major issue regarding health-related problems due to potentially elevated radiation exposure of humans in dwellings, and (ii) due to the mobility of radon the short-lived progeny may cause complications in radionuclide detection in laboratories. Polymer membranes are an appropriate means for effectively preventing unwanted radon migration. However, most of the published literature focusses on robust membranes made for the large-scale sealing of dwelling substructures. Membranes that are suitable (at small-scale) for sealing purposes in radionuclide detection applications are only rarely discussed. In this paper, we present a straightforward practical approach that allows the effectiveness of any membrane to be assessed for any purpose related to radon sealing. Executing the approach requires only (i) a suitable container with inlet and outlet ports, (ii) a mobile radon detector, and (iii) any type of radon source material. The approach provides a tool that allows testing any available membrane for its applicability as radon barrier sheeting.","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":"58 1","pages":"301 - 310"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1000,"publicationDate":"2022-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2022.2058500","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, INORGANIC & NUCLEAR","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
ABSTRACT The ubiquitous presence of the radioisotope radon (222Rn) and its short-lived progeny (218Po, 214Pb, 214Bi, 214Po) is challenging in two respects: (i) Radon is a major issue regarding health-related problems due to potentially elevated radiation exposure of humans in dwellings, and (ii) due to the mobility of radon the short-lived progeny may cause complications in radionuclide detection in laboratories. Polymer membranes are an appropriate means for effectively preventing unwanted radon migration. However, most of the published literature focusses on robust membranes made for the large-scale sealing of dwelling substructures. Membranes that are suitable (at small-scale) for sealing purposes in radionuclide detection applications are only rarely discussed. In this paper, we present a straightforward practical approach that allows the effectiveness of any membrane to be assessed for any purpose related to radon sealing. Executing the approach requires only (i) a suitable container with inlet and outlet ports, (ii) a mobile radon detector, and (iii) any type of radon source material. The approach provides a tool that allows testing any available membrane for its applicability as radon barrier sheeting.
期刊介绍:
Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies provides a unique platform for stable isotope studies in geological and life sciences, with emphasis on ecology. The international journal publishes original research papers, review articles, short communications, and book reviews relating to the following topics:
-variations in natural isotope abundance (isotope ecology, isotope biochemistry, isotope hydrology, isotope geology)
-stable isotope tracer techniques to follow the fate of certain substances in soil, water, plants, animals and in the human body
-isotope effects and tracer theory linked with mathematical modelling
-isotope measurement methods and equipment with respect to environmental and health research
-diagnostic stable isotope application in medicine and in health studies
-environmental sources of ionizing radiation and its effects on all living matter