The path from geology to indoor radon

It is generally accepted that radon emission is strongly influenced by the geological characteristics of the bedrock. However, transport in-soil and entry paths indoors are defined by other factors such as permeability, building and architectural features, ventilation, occupation patterns, etc. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the contribution of each parameter, from natural to man-made, on the radon accumulation indoors and to assess potential patterns, based on 100 case studies in Romania. The study pointed out that the geological foundation can provide a reasonable explanation for the majority of the values recorded in both soil and indoor air. Results also showed that older houses, built with earth-based materials, are highly permeable to soil radon. Energy-efficient houses, on the other hand, have a tendency to disregard the radon potential of the geological foundation, causing a higher predisposition to radon accumulation indoors and decreasing the general indoor air quality.