The effect of moisture content on radon diffusion through soil: assessment in laboratory and field experiments

The diffusion of radon through soil is strongly affected by the degree of water saturation of the soil pores. In the present work, a laboratory technique for studying radon diffusion has been developed and applied to determine diffusion coefficients in a sandy loam, containing various amounts of water, from null to saturation. The results indicate that, once the soil pore volume becomes saturated to values above approximately 20%, the diffusion of radon is markedly hampered; the bulk diffusion coefficient drops from 1.2 x 10(-6) to 2 x 10(-9) m2 s(-1) as soil saturation increases from 20 to 90%. The effect of soil moisture was further evaluated in field experiments conducted on soil of the same matrix. Comparison between results obtained by the two methods showed that laboratory studies may provide a good indication of radon diffusion coefficients to be expected in situ. However, values determined in the field were systematically lower than those assessed in the laboratory, illustrating the key role of structural differences between undisturbed and repacked soil.