Indoor and outdoor 222Rn and 220Rn and their progeny levels surrounding Bayan Obo mine, China

• Autorzy: Wang Nanping , Hu Miao , Zeng Weihua , Yu Cong , Jia Binlin , Yang Zhijie

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.2478/nuka-2020-0023

• Konferencja: III International Conference „Radon in the Environment” (3 ; 27-31 May 2019 ; Krakow, Poland)
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

More than half of the total natural ionizing radiation dose received by the human population is caused by radon and thoron (Rn and Tn) and their progeny. To estimate the level of radiation due to radon and thoron and their progeny, an investigation was conducted in a residential area near the world’s largest open-pit mine of Bayan Obo in Inner Mongolia, China. The concentration of Rn, Tn, and their decay products in air and soil were studied by using AlphaGUARD, RAD7, and ERS-RDM-2S for a discrete period of time in three different locations. The average indoor concentration of radon and thoron was 62.6 ± 44.6 Bq/m3 and 108.3 ± 94.5 Bq/m3 respectively, and the outdoor concentration was 12.9 ± 6.3 Bq/m3 and 55.8 ± 18.5 Bq/m3 , respectively. Relatively high concentrations were recorded in the area near to the mine, with a significant increasing trend observed in indoor thoron concentration. A prominent hotspot in thoron concentration was found in a single-story house with values 747 ± 150 Bq/m3 . The equilibrium equivalent thoron concentration (EECTn) varies from 0.48 Bq/m3 to 2.36 Bq/m3 with an arithmetic mean of 1.37 ± 0.64 Bq/m3 , and comparatively higher than EECRn. Concluding that the mining activity at Bayan Obo mine is significantly increasing the level of indoor thoron and its progeny in surroundings. It is suggested to further systematically investigate the indoor Rn and Tn progeny concentrations in the residential dwellings of the Bayan Obo mining area, and 232Th content of the building materials, to provide a basis for calculating the radiation dose.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

radon; thoron; thoron progeny; equilibrium equivalent thoron concentration; Rn equilibrium factor; Bayan Obo

• Wydawca: Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology
• Czasopismo: Nukleonika
• Rocznik: 2020
• Tom: Vol. 65, No. 2
• Strony: 145--148
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 14 poz., rys.

Twórcy

autor

Wang Nanping

• School of Geophysics and Information Technology China University of Geosciences (Beijing) 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083 Beijing, China

autor

Hu Miao

• School of Geophysics and Information Technology China University of Geosciences (Beijing) 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083 Beijing, China

autor

Zeng Weihua

• School of Geophysics and Information Technology China University of Geosciences (Beijing) 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083 Beijing, China

autor

Yu Cong

• School of Geophysics and Information Technology China University of Geosciences (Beijing) 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083 Beijing, China

autor

Jia Binlin

• School of Geophysics and Information Technology China University of Geosciences (Beijing) 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083 Beijing, China

autor

Yang Zhijie

• School of Geophysics and Information Technology China University of Geosciences (Beijing) 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083 Beijing, China

Bibliografia

• 1. Yang, X., Michael, J., & Le Bas, M. J. (2004). Chemical compositions of carbonate minerals from Bayan Obo, Inner Mongolia, China: implications for petrogenesis. Lithos, 72, 97–116. DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2003.09.002.
• 2. Wang, X., Guo, C., & Bai, L. (2009). Radiothorium contamination tendency and control measure for Baotou steel factory tailing dam. Radiat. Prot., 29(4), 270–274. DOI: 10.1002/9780470611807.ch2. (in Chinese with English abstract).
• 3. Li, R., Li, Q., & Chen, S. (2014). Distribution of radioactive thorium in surrounding soils of Bayan Obo mining area. J. Res. Environ. Sci., 27(1), 51–56. DOI:10.13198j.issn1001-6929.2014.01.08. (in Chinese with English abstract).
• 4. Li, B., Wang, N., Wan, J., Xiong, S., Liu, H., Li, S., & Zhao, R. (2016). In-situ gamma-ray survey of rareearth tailings dams–A case study in Baotou and Bayan Obo Districts, China. J. Environ. Radioact., 151(Part 1), 304–310. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.10.027.
• 5. Chen, X., & Cheng, Y. (1998). Long- term monitoring of thorium inhaled by workers and assessment of thorium lung burden in China. Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 79,91–93. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.rpd.a032475.
• 6. Liu, Y., Liu, F., & Wang, C. (2010). Primary measure of equipment factor of 222Rn/220Rn indoor. Atomic Energy Science and Technology, 44(12), 1527–1531.(in Chinese with English abstract).
• 7. Wang, C., Liu, F., & Liu, G. (2015). Influence of Bayan Obo ores on indoor 222Rn, 220Rn and γ radiation levels.Radiat. Prot., 35(5), 305–316.
• 8. De With, G., Smetsers, R. C. G. M., & Slaper, H.(2018). Thoron exposure in Dutch dwellings – Anoverview. J. Environ. Radioact., 183, 73–81. DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.12.014.
• 9. Ramachandan, T. V., & Sathish, L. A. (2011). Nationwide indoor 222Rn and 220Rn map for India: a review. J. Environ. Radioact., 102(11), 975–986. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2011. 06.009.
• 10. Vuckovic, B., Gulan, L., & Milenkovic, B. (2016). Indoor radon and thoron concentrations in some towns of central and South Serbia. J. Environ. Radioact., 183(Part 3), 938–944. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.09.053.
• 11. Alharbi, S. H., & Akber, R. A. (2015). Radon and thoron concentrations in public workplaces in Brisbane, Australia. J. Environ. Radioact., 144, 69–76. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.03.008.
• 12. Wang, N., Peng, A., & Xiao, L. (2012). The level and distribution of 220Rn concentration in soil-gas in Guangdong Province, China. Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 152(1/3), 204–209. DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncs223.
• 13. He, Z., Xiao, D., & Lv, L. (2017). Controlling 212Bi to 212Pb activity concentration ratio in thoron chambers. J. Environ. Radioact., 178/179, 77–83. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.07.011.
• 14. Tracerlab. (2017). ERS-RDM-2S Monitor for the determination of the Radon/Thoron-Gas- & Progenyconcentration. Short-Version-2017/08. Koelm, Germany: Tracerlab GmbH.

Uwagi

Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa Nr 461252 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2020).