SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATION IN SCHOOLS: IMPLICATIONS ON RADON MEASUREMENT PROTOCOLS

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Radiological Protection
• Building Physics

Background:

• National and international legislations often mandate radon measurements in school and public building ground floors and basements.
• This is based on the assumption that soil is the primary source of indoor radon.
• The efficacy of this approach for smaller buildings (up to two floors) requires verification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the assumption that radon measurements are only necessary on the ground floor of small buildings.
• To assess the adequacy of current radon measurement protocols in schools.
• To inform legislative requirements for radon testing in educational facilities.

Main Methods:

• A preliminary study was conducted in 50 schools across 15 municipalities in the Republic of Srpska.
• Radon levels were measured to assess spatial variability.
• Data was analyzed to determine the representativeness of ground-floor measurements.

Main Results:

• Results suggest that a protocol focusing solely on ground-floor radon measurements may be sufficient for small buildings.
• Significant spatial variability of radon was observed among ground-floor rooms.
• A high number of measurement locations, ideally all rooms, are recommended for accurate compliance assessment.

Conclusions:

• Ground-floor radon measurements appear adequate for small, two-story buildings.
• To ensure compliance with radon reference levels, comprehensive measurements across numerous rooms are essential due to high spatial variability.
• Legislation may be refined to optimize radon testing protocols in schools.