A comparative study on different methods of measuring Rn concentrations in homes

Three methods of measuring 222Rn concentration in homes were compared. In 91 dwellings, measurements were made with thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) for two weeks during the winter, with alpha track Track Etch type SF dosimeters (ATDs) for six months during the heating season and for one year. There was a high correlation between the TLD and the six-month ATD values (r = .83) and between the six-month and the one-year ATD values (r = .80). On the average, however, the arithmetic and geometric means of the ATD (six-month) values were approximately 50 Bq m-3 higher than the TLD values (p less than .0001). The six-month ATD values also were, on the average, approximately eight percent higher than the one-year values. This difference is probably caused by decreased ventilation during the colder part of the year. The results indicate that the measurement methods under study may be of value for exposure assessments in epidemiologic studies, but also that estimates of risk per unit radiation exposure should be interpreted with caution.