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226Ra, 222Rn AND PERMEABILITY OF BELGIAN SOILS IN RELATION WITH INDOOR RADON RISK.
C Licour1, F Tondeur1, I Gerardy1
1ISIB, Haute Ecole de Bruxelles-Brabant, rue Royale 150, Brussels 1000, Belgium.
Radiation Protection Dosimetry
|October 17, 2017
Summary
Soil permeability, not radium concentration, is the primary factor for indoor radon risk in Belgium. This study adds crucial data on soil radium and radon gas, aiding in predicting radon-prone areas.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Geochemistry
- Radiological Protection
Background:
- Accurate indoor radon risk assessment requires understanding soil concentrations of radium-226 (226Ra) and soil gas radon-222 (222Rn).
- Existing data on these radionuclides in Belgian soils are limited, hindering effective prediction of radon-prone areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To significantly expand the dataset for 226Ra in soil, 222Rn in soil gas, and soil permeability in Belgium.
- To analyze the relationship between these soil parameters, soil texture, geological units, and indoor radon risk.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 92 measurements of 226Ra in soil samples.
- Performed 105 measurements of 222Rn in soil gas.
- Carried out 74 measurements of soil permeability, analyzing data in relation to soil texture and geological units.
Main Results:
- A substantial dataset was generated, adding to existing scarce information on Belgian soils.
- No clear correlation was found between soil radium concentration and indoor radon risk.
- Soil permeability emerged as the most significant factor influencing indoor radon risk.
Conclusions:
- Soil permeability is the dominant predictor of indoor radon risk, outweighing soil radium content.
- The generated data provide a valuable resource for improving indoor radon risk assessment and mapping radon-prone areas in Belgium.
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