Radon in the Environment (eBook)

M. Wilkening (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

1990 | 1. Auflage
136 Seiten
Elsevier Science (Verlag)
978-0-08-087499-9 (ISBN)

Infos

Radon was discovered in 1900 but it was not until the 1950's that an awareness of its potential as a hazard to humans developed. This resulted primarily from a recognition of the high levels of exposure for uranium miners. Measurement of high concentrations of radon in homes led environmental health agencies to focus on radon as a health hazard and has resulted in concern from scientists, the medical profession and the general public. It is in this context that the author undertook the writing of this book.

A need for a broader understanding of radon in the general environment in addition to that of indoors has become apparent. Since much of the author's research has to do with outdoor radon and its decay products, it seems appropriate to have a book available stressing studies on outdoor radon as well was that found indoors.

This book is intended to fill a gap in our knowledge of radon concentration in the outdoor atmosphere as well as to provide results of previously published indoor measurements. In addition, work on radon decay product ion concentrations in these environments contributes a unique set of results on effects of radon and its decay products on the electrical characteristics of the atmosphere. These studies are important both from their significant contribution to human dose as well as their role in the atmospheric electrical environment.

Inhalt

Front Cover 1
Radon in the Environment 4
Copyright Page 5
CONTENTS 8
PREFACE 6
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 12
1.1 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 12
1.2 DISCOVERY OF RADON 13
1.3 THE RADIATION ENVIRONMENT 17
CHAPTER 2. RADIOACTIVITY 20
2.1 RADIOACTIVE DECAY 20
CHAPTER 3. CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS OF RADON 36
3.1 ISOTOPES OF RADON 36
3.2 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES 37
CHAPTER 4. SOURCE OF RADON IN ROCKS AND SOILS 40
4.1 URANIUM, THORIUM AND ACTINIUM 40
4.2 RADIUM – THE PARENT ELEMENT 43
4.3 EMANATION PROPERTIES 46
4.4 RADON, THORON AND ACTINON 47
CHAPTER 5. RADON – SOIL TO AIR 54
5.1 TRANSPORT PROCESSES 54
5.2 MEASUREMENT 61
5.3 RESULTS OF FLUX DENSITY MEASUREMENTS 66
CHAPTER 6. RADON IN THE ATMOSPHERE 70
6.1 GROUND LEVEL 70
6.2 VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION 71
6.3 CONTINENTAL AND MARINE AIR MASSES 73
6.4 DIURNAL AND SEASONAL CHANGES 74
CHAPTER 7. RADON AS A TRACER IN THE ATMOSPHERE 82
7.1 TRANSPORT PROCESSES 82
CHAPTER 8. RADON DECAY PRODUCTS IN THE ATMOSPHERE 92
8.1 UNATTACHED RADON DECAY PRODUCTS 93
8.2 DECAY PRODUCTS ATTACHED TO AEROSOLS 96
8.3 SUMMARY 100
CHAPTER 9. EFFECT UPON THE ELECTRICAL CHARACTER OF THE ATMOSPHERE 102
9.1 IONIZATION 102
9.2 CONCENTRATION 103
9.3 CONDUCTIVITY 105
9.4 MOBILITY 105
9.5 SUMMARY 106
CHAPTER 10. RADON UNDERGROUND 108
10.1 RADON IN AN UNDERGROUND CAVITY 109
10.2 RADON IN A TUNNEL 110
10.3 RADON IN MINES 112
CHAPTER 11. RADON IN WATER 120
11.1 PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES 120
11.2 SEA WATER 121
CHAPTER 12. INDOOR RADON 124
12.1 SOURCES AND TRANSPORT 124
12.2 EQUILIBRIUM AND PLATEOUT 127
12.3 VENTILATION 128
12.4 METHODS FOR CONTROL 129
12.5 SURVEYS 130
12.6 SUMMARY 133
CHAPTER 13. HEALTH EFFECTS 136
13.1 RADIATION FROM RADON AND ITS DECAY PRODUCTS 136
13.2 THE HUMAN DOSE 138
13.3 IMPACT 139
13.4 SPAS 140
APPENDIX 142
A.1 The Uranium Series 143
A.2 The Thorium Series 144
A.3 The Actinium Series 145

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 27.8.1990
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Medizin / Pharmazie ► Medizinische Fachgebiete ► Arbeits- / Sozial- / Umweltmedizin
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Botanik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Ökologie / Naturschutz
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Atom- / Kern- / Molekularphysik
• Themenwelt: Technik ► Umwelttechnik / Biotechnologie
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft
• ISBN-10: 0-08-087499-1 / 0080874991
• ISBN-13: 978-0-08-087499-9 / 9780080874999