Separation of Hydrogen Isotopes by Permeation through Metal Plate Prepared by Powder Metallurgical Technique

Outdoor ²²²Rn concentrations were measured with electrostatic integrating radon monitors (EIRM) at 40 points around Nagoya, in which 15 sets of 2-month-exposure data over 2.5 yr were obtained. Seasonal variation of ²²²Rn concentration showed a clear pattern which had a spring-to-summer minimum and an autumn-to-winter maximum. Annual means ²²²Rn concentration ranged 3.5~11.7 Bq·m^?3 depending on locations. Higher concentrations were obtained in mountainous regions while lower concentrations were obtained near the sea. The relation between atmospheric ²²²Rn concentration and uranium content of granitic rocks was also discussed. High level ²²²Rn concentrations were obtained over areas of granitic rocks which were comparatively uranium-rich. As an almost linear relationship was recognized between the ²²²Rn concentration and exposure rate due to external natural radiation, a close correlation was anticipated between the concentration and ²²⁶Ra content of soil. From the obtained regional distribution of ²²²Rn concentration, per caput lung dose in the area was estimated to be about 0.44±0.11 mSv·yr^?1.     

Detailed Evaluation of Natural Gamma-Radiation Field due to Uranium (238U) Series

Peak counting rates of a Ge(Li) detector for γ-rays of interest and exposure rates at 1 m above the ground have been calculated using the soil and air concentration profiles of naturally occurring radionuclides at Tsukuba (Yatabe City, Tsukuba District, Ibaraki Prefecture). Decrease in the peak counting rate for 609 keV ²¹⁴Bi γ-ray above the ground, which was due to diffusion loss of ²²²Rn under the ground, was evaluated to be about 44% of the peak counting rate calculated assuming uniform distribution of ²²²Rn under the ground, and decrease in the exposure rate was evaluated to be about 13% of the total exposure rate calculated assuming uniform distribution. Field measurement of γ-rays from sources in the soil and air was also made with the Ge(Li) detector at Tsukuba. The calculated peak counting rates where the diffusion loss of ²²²Rn was involved agreed with those observed in situ. During the observation the calculated peak counting rate for the 609 keV γ-ray from airborne ²¹⁴Bi ranged 3–19% of that from uniformly distributed ²¹⁴Bi source under ground, and the calculated exposure rate from the airborne ²²²Rn daughters ranged 1–9% of the total exposure rate.     

Effect of spring water on the radon concentration in the air at Masutomi spa in Yamanashi Prefecture,Japan

The concentrations of ²²²Rn existing in air have been studied by using a convenient and highly sensitive Pico-rad detector system at Masutomi spa in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The measurements in air were carried out indoors and outdoors during the winter of 2000 and the summers of 1999 and 2005. The concentrations of ²²²Rn in spring water in this region were measured by the liquid scintillation method. The concentrations of natural radionuclides contained in soils surrounding spa areas were also examined by means of the γ-ray energy spectrometry technique using a Ge diode detector to investigate the correlation between the radionuclides contents and ²²²Rn concentrations in air at each point of interest. The atmospheric ²²²Rn concentrations in these areas were high, ranging from 5 Bq/m³ to 2676 Bq/m³. The radon concentration at each hotel was high in the order of the bath room, the dressing room, the lobby, and the outdoor area near the hotel, with averages and standard deviations of the concentration of 441 ± 79 Bq/m³, 351 ± 283 Bq/m³, 121 ± 5 Bq/m³, and 23 ± 1 Bq/m³, respectively. The source of ²²²Rn in the air in the bath room is more likely to be the spring water than the soil. The spring water plays carries the radon to the atmosphere. Our measurements indicated that the ²²²Rn concentration in the air was affected by the ²²²Rn concentration in spring water rather than that in soil.     

Influence of Short-Lived Radon-222 Daughters Present in Atmosphere on Natural Environmental Gamma-Radiation Field

Measurements were simultaneously made of the concentrations of short-lived ²²²Rn daughter radionuclides present in the atmosphere at elevation of 1, 10 and 100 m above ground level, of the count rate of unscattered γ-rays, and of the exposure rate, the latter two measurements limited to readings at 1 m above ground. The resulting data revealed close correlation of the short-lived ²²²Rn daughter concentrations in the atmosphere with the values at 1 m elevation of the peak count rate for 609 keV ²¹⁴Bi γ-rays and of the exposure rate. The exposure rate at 1 m elevation attributable to the short-lived ²²²Rn daughters in the atmosphere was found to have been limited to at most 10% of the total exposure rate during the period of observation covered in the present study.     

A Naturally Ventilated Accumulator for Integrating Measurements of Radon Flux from Soil

For long-term and large-scale measurements of the averaged ²²²Rn fluxes from soils in the general environmental conditions, a simple measuring method was developed. ²²²Rn exhaling from soils is accumulated by a naturally ventilated accumulator (NVA) and its concentration is measured with passive ²²²Rn monitors set inside the NVA. The ventilation rate of the NVA is about 0.26 h^?1 and it is hardly affected by the changes of meteorological conditions during field measurements. The air and soil conditions inside and outside of the NVA are nearly the same throughout the measurements. It indicates that the natural conditions of soils will not be significantly disturbed by the NVA. Field measurements confirmed that soil ²²²Rn fluxes measured by the new method were in general agreement with the results measured by another commonly used method and theoretical estimations. As no electric power is needed as well as the operation and maintenance are easy, the low-cost system offers a promise as an improved technique for long-term measurements of soil ²²²Rn fluxes in the general environmental conditions.     

Development of Three-Dimensional Numerical Model for 222Rn and its Decay Products Coupled with a Mesoscale Meteorological Model I. Model Description and Validation

A three-dimensional Eulerian numerical model for ²²²Rn and its decay products coupled with a mesoscale meteorological model has been developed and applied to the reproduction of the daily and monthly variations of ²²²Rn concentration, the monthly variation of ²¹⁰Pb deposition in Japan and the temporal variation of gamma dose rate after the cold front passage in the coastal area of the Japan Sea for the verification of model capability. The results are as follows: (1) The model reproduced the monthly variation of surface ²²²Rn concentration in remote islands, but underestimated inland concentration due to a coarse vertical resolution near the surface of the model. (2) The model reproduced the seasonal variation of the observed and the long-term yearly averaged ²¹⁰Pb depositions as long as precipitations are predicted precisely. (3) The model reproduced the rise of gamma dose rate in precipitation accompanied by the cold front passage. In particular, ²²²Rn decay products in melted snow and graupel contributed the rise of gamma dose rate.     

Evaluation of Radon in Soil Gas and Natural Radioactivity in Surface Soil of Kinki District,Japan

Radon and its progeny are an important part of natural environmental exposure to radiation. However, little information is available about the radon contents of soil gas. We carried out a survey of radioactivity, focusing on ²²²Rn-concentrations in soil gas in parts of western Japan. Fifty nine samples in soil gas from 4 Prefectures of the Kinki district were analyzed with a liquid scintillation counter after the trapping of radon in soil gas into a toluene based-scintillation cocktail, together with 19 samples of interest from karst and uranium mining sites in another two Prefectures for comparison. The cumulative frequency of the ²²²Rn-concentrations in soil gas of the Kinki district showed a log-normal distribution. The average content was found to be 11.9kBqm^?3 (arithmetic mean) and 7.5kBqm^?3 (geometric mean). A maximum concentration of radon in soil gas, 2.1 MBqm^?3 was found at the marker of the Ningyo uranium mining site. Surveys of natural radioactivity in soil were also carried out with a Ge(Li) detector to determine the concentrations in soil, mainly focusing on uranium and thorium series. The radon concentrations in soil gas were weakly correlated with those of uranium series in soils. There were no great differences vertically in the natural radioactivity in soils within 1 m, but a difference by one order of magnitude was found in soils horizontally even in the residence area of the Kinki district.     

α能谱法测量222Rn/220Rn气体活度浓度过程中的拖尾修正

α能谱法是环境中²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn气体活度浓度测量的重要方法之一。吸收层及探测器能窗等导致的α能谱低能拖尾是影响²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn活度浓度准确测量的重要因素。为修正α能谱法对²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn气体活度浓度的测量结果,本文从原理上探讨了拖尾形成的原因及其对²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn气体活度浓度测量的影响。结合商用测氡仪,实验修正了²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn气体活度浓度的测量结果,对修正前后的结果进行了实验比对。研究表明,经准确刻度后的修正因子和刻度因子能很好地用于修正²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn气体活度浓度的测量结果,保证了测量结果的准确性。建议在对α能谱法测量²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn气体活度浓度的仪器进行刻度检定时,必要情况下需对拖尾修正因子和刻度因子进行适当刻度。     

Potential of High Thoron Exposure in China

Compared with radon (²²²Rn) and its progeny, thoron (²²⁰Rn) and its progeny have not been well studied in the natural radiation fields. In this paper, some important factors (²³²Th content in soil and building material as well as building structure) relating to the level of indoor thoron and its progeny in China are reviewed. Limited results of small-scale surveys are also cited. The facts indicate that the public exposure from the inhalation of thoron progeny may be higher than the representative value in the UNSCEAR 1993 report, and thoron and its progeny may be a significant indoor pollutant in some regions or specific dwellings in China.     

Experimental Verification of Modified DYNAM Code for Flow Stability Analysis in Once-Through Boiling Flow System

A rainout-washout model is proposed in order to forecast the variation of the intensity of environmental γ-rays and study the behavior of radioactive nuclei in the atmosphere on rainy days. This model divides the atmosphere into two parts of in cloud and under cloud. Simultaneous differential equations are formulated to give the time variations of the concentrations of daughter nuclei of ²²²Rn during precipitation in each state of free atoms or ions, aerosol particles, cloud droplets and rain drops. Coefficients used in the equations for removal of daughter nuclei from one state to other one and for washout by rain drops are estimated from published data. Variations of various concentrations are obtained. Counting rates of a ge(Li) detector are calculated for 352 kev (²¹⁴Pb) and 609 kev (²¹⁴Bi) γ-rays. They are mainly due to γ-rays from daughter nuclei accumulated on the earth's surface, most part of which is brought by rainout in cloud. Experimental variations of counting rates are well reproduced on rainy days. For the forecast of the variations it is necessary to measure rainfall rates, concentrations of ²²²rn and cloud base heights at short interval.     

用主动式活性炭盒测定室内环境的^222Rn和^220Rn浓度

把φ１０ｃｍ被动式活性炭盒稍加改装后进行主动式空气采样，用高效率ＨＰＧｅγ谱仪测量＾２２２Ｒｎ／＾２２０Ｒｎ短寿命子体的３５２ＫｅＶ／２３９ＫｅＶ的γ射线净峰面积，经刻度后可财得到空气中＾２２２Ｒｎ的浓度，＾２２２Ｒｎ和２２０Ｒｎ的实测刻度因子分别为０．２６３Ｂｑ＾－１．ｍ＾３．ｍｉｎ＾－１和０．１８２Ｂｑ＾－１．ｍ＾３．ｃｍ＾－１，给出室内环境和经各种空气处理的试验性测量结果，＾２２２Ｒｎ浓度为     

中国地下煤矿222Rn和220Rn水平的初步调查研究

本文介绍在2002年12月至2004年8月期间,用固体径迹探测器对北京史家营矿、房山城关矿、山西古交西曲矿、太原王封矿、湖南衡阳市柏坊矿、衡南县松柏矿、贵州黔西红林矿及浙江安仁锦江矿等5省市的8座煤矿井下氡浓度进行了实际为期1年（分四个阶段）的调查。结果表明,8座煤矿的年平均氡浓度（测点数）分别为550（69）、3187（28）、45（224）、117（72）、88（79）、79（58）、40（72）、136（116）Bq／m^3。井下氡浓度及其变化规律与通风状况、地质结构等因素有很大的关系,通风不好的矿井氡浓度较高,且呈现出夏、秋季高,冬季低的趋势;而通风状况良好的矿井氡浓度较低,且四季变化不明显。结合调查结果揭示了北京地区煤矿氡浓度普遍较高、浙江石煤矿并不太高以及国有煤矿较低等一些特点,对影响煤矿井下氡浓度水平的因素作了简要分析。文中还给出了北京和湖南两地所测煤矿井下^220Rn及其子体水平的测量结果,^220Rn子体α潜能浓度与氡子体α潜能浓度的比值在0．036～0．42之间。     

The Effect of Some Soil Characteristics on Soil Radon Concentration and Radon Exhalation from Soil Surface

To find out the impacts of soil characters on radon concentrations in soil and radon exhalation from soil, field measurements on soil radon concentrations (60 cm under the soil surface) and radon exhalation rate from soil surface were carried out in totally 31 points with different types of soil in three cities in both South and North China. Soil radium contents, water contents, soil porosity and grain size were concretely analyzed in our laboratory. The linear simulation was used to analyze the above data. The results showed that radon exhalation rate from soil and radon concentrations in soil have direct proportion to soil radium contents. Rather high radium content and radon exhalation rate were measured in Guiyang area, 67±28Bq/kg and 40±59mBq/m²-s, however no high soil radon concentration was found due to the difficulties in the measurements on clay soils with high water saturation. Compared with soil radium contents, radon exhalation rate from soil and soil radon concentrations are more easily impacted by soil characters and change in a rather large range.     

广州市区室内外空气中氡及其子体浓度调查

本文报道了1984年7月至1985年2月间对广州市区住宅室内外空气中氡(气土)及其子体浓度的初步调查。结果表明:室内外空气中平均~(222)Rn 浓度分别为17.8和13.3Bq·m~(-3),平均~(222)Rn 子体浓度(平衡当量浓度)分别为10.6和8.8Bq·m~(-3);平均~(220)Rn 浓度分别为37.0和14.5Bq·m~(-3),平均~(220)Rn 子体浓度(平衡当量浓度)分别为0.92和0.62Bq·m~(-3)。市区居民吸入氡(气土)及其子体所受的有效剂量当量估计为1.29mSv,与 UN-SCEAR 估计的全球温带地区水平相近,其中(气土)及其子体的贡献为0.35mSv,约为全球正常本底地区的2倍。     

Low-level measurements of Ra-226/Rn-222 by pulse ionization chambers

Characteristics of two ionization chambers have been studied and the chambers utilized for ²²⁶Ra/²²²Rn measurements for more than ten years. The results obtained show that coating of internal surfaces with a pure and thin Ag-layer enhances the background of ionization chambers in spite of some improvements at the early stages of operation. In addition to previously known parameters influencing the accuracy in routine measurements, new correction factors are suggested. 226Ra impurities in the body of ionization chambers are found to act not only as a permanent, but also as a temperature-dependent source of background. Earlier accuracies of ²²⁶Ra/²²²Rn measurements have been considerably improved by assuring long-term mechanical and thermal stability of the ionization chambers.     

包头市天然放射性环境调查与评价

对包头市城区陆地γ辐射空气吸收剂量率和空气中氡、气土及其子体浓度进行了测量。其中γ辐射空气吸收剂量率瞬时测量平均值为62.5 nGy/h,累积测量平均值为100.7 nGy/h,累积剂量扣除宇宙射线响应值后与瞬时剂量结果一致,与包头市2006年航测结果值(60 nGy/h)相当。气溶胶中氡子体α潜能值12.88 nJ/m³,气土子体α潜能值9.55 nJ/m³,两种子体的α潜能值均在标准限值范围内。通过对照射剂量估算,城区外照射年有效剂量为0.58 mSv,内照射年有效剂量为1.29 mSv,数值略高于全国和世界平均水平,在同水平范围内。包头市城区放射性环境有效剂量未超过规定限值,不会对公众健康造成不良影响。     

HPGe γ谱仪对主动式活性炭法中222Rn样品的探测效率研究

主动式活性炭吸附²²²Rn的方法中,吸附时间不同,²²²Rn在活性炭盒中的分布不均匀,这对HPGe γ谱仪测量分析中效率刻度产生影响。通过在标准氡室进行的主动式双滤膜活性炭吸附实验,分析得到不同吸附时间下HPGe γ谱仪对²²²Rn子体不同能量特征γ射线的探测效率和²²²Rn在双滤膜活性炭盒中进出口计数相对偏差,拟合得到两者之间的关系曲线,即不同能量特征γ射线下的探测效率与²²²Rn进出口计数相对偏差呈线性关系。通过实验得到双滤膜活性炭盒对氡吸附量的拟合曲线值与测氡仪实测值相对偏差绝对值小于5%,验证了该方法的正确性和可靠性。     

Development of an integrated sampler based on direct 222Rn/220Rn progeny sensors in flow-mode for estimating unattached/attached progeny concentration

A flow-mode integrated sampler consisting of a wire-mesh and filter-paper array along with passive solid state nuclear track detectors has been developed for estimating unattached and attached fraction of ²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn progeny concentration. The essential element of this sampler is the direct ²²²Rn/²²⁰Rn progeny sensor (DRPS/DTPS), which is an absorber-mounted-LR115 type nuclear track detector that selectively registers the alpha particles emitted from the progeny deposited on its surface. During sampling at a specified flow-rate, the unattached progeny is captured on the wire-mesh; while the attached progeny gets transmitted and is captured on the filter-paper. The alpha particles emitted by the deposited progeny atoms are registered on the sensors placed at a specified distance facing the wire-mesh and the filter-paper, respectively. The various steps involved in the development of this flow-mode direct progeny sampler such as the optimization of the sampling rate and the distance between the sensor and the deposition substrate are discussed. The sensitivity factor of the DTPS-loaded sampler for ²²⁰Rn progeny deposited on the wire-mesh and filter-paper is found to be 23.77 ± 0.64 (track cm^?2 h^?1) (Bq m^?3)^?1 and 22.30 ± 0.18 (track cm^?2 h^?1) (Bq m^?3)^?1, respectively; while that of DRPS-loaded sampler for ²²²Rn progeny deposition, is 3.03 ± 0.14 (track cm^?2 h^?1) (Bq m^?3)^?1 and 2.08 ± 0.07 (track cm^?2 h^?1) (Bq m^?3)^?1, respectively. The highlight of this flow-mode sampler is its high sensitivity and that it utilizes the passive technique for estimating the unattached and attached progeny concentration, thus doing away with the alpha counting procedures.     

Analysis of radon, uranium 238 and thorium 232 in potable waters: Dose to adult members of the Moroccan urban population

Uranium (²³⁸U) and thorium (²³²Th) concentrations as well as radon (²²²Rn) and thoron (²²⁰Rn) alpha-activities per unit volume have been measured inside various potable water samples collected from nineteen cities in Morocco by using CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). Measured radon alpha-activities ranged from (0.37 ± 0.02) Bq l⁻¹ to (13.6 ± 1.10) Bq l⁻¹ for the potable water samples studied. Alpha-activities due to radon from the ingestion of the studied potable water samples were determined in different compartments of the gastrointestinal system by using the ICRP compartmental model for radon. Annual committed equivalent doses due to radon were evaluated in the gastrointestinal compartments from the ingestion of the potable water samples studied. The influence of the target tissue mass, radon intake and alpha-activity integral due to radon on the annual committed equivalent doses in the gastrointestinal compartments was investigated.     

Development of Three-Dimensional Numerical Model for 222Rn and Its Decay Products Coupled with a Mesoscale Meteorological Model II. Numerical Analysis on the Increase in Gamma Dose Rate Observed in the Coastal Area of Fukushima Prefecture

A three-dimensional Eulerian numerical model for ²²²Rn and its decay products coupled with a mesoscale meteorological model, MM5-TMNR, is applied to investigate the mechanism of the naturally induced increase in gamma dose rate observed at the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture in October 2002. The results obtained by MM5-TMNR are verified by comparisons with observed wind, precipitation and gamma dose rate to be adequate for examining the mechanism. The unusual increase in gamma dose rate is observed by the combination of the synoptic-scale (about 2000 to 5000 km horizontally) transport of natural radionuclides due to the inflow of cold air mass from the Asian Continent and the meso-_-scale (about 20 to 200 km horizontally) precipitation process within the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture. The contribution rate of natural radionuclides from the Asian Continent to the increase in gamma dose rateis estimated to be more than 60%.