Radiological Hazards Associated with Radon Progeny under Humid Conditions
Public Deposited- Last Modified
- February 27, 2019
- Creator
-
Dolce, Kathleen Ann
- Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
- Abstract
- The purpose of this project was to construct a radon exposure chamber and mimic a typical bathroom climate (relative humidity of 90%). This allowed us to compare doses delivered to the lungs from radon exposure under conditions of high humidity (ie. showers) to conditions of low humidity (relative humidity of 60%). Measurements of radon and radon progeny were performed. In addition, information on the state of attachment of progeny to aerosols was obtained for lung deposition modeling. To analyze the state of attachment of radon progeny, filter measurements analyzed by alpha spectroscopy were performed. Alpha scintillation cells were used to determine the unattached fraction. Unlike previous studies, this study simulated hot, humid shower conditions encountered In bathrooms. These measurements were used to calculate the dose equivalent delivered to the lungs of humans exposed to these conditions. These calculations utilized a mathematical model of lung deposition developed by Maher, Rudnick, and Moeller (Effective Removal of Airborne [222]Rn Decay Products Inside Buildings; Health Physics 1987). The results indicate that the risk from emanated radon is lower under conditions of high humidity than under conditions of low humidity.
- Date of publication
- January 1988
- DOI
- Resource type
- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Advisor
- Leith, David
- Crawford-Brown, Douglas J.
- Hamrick, Philip E.
- Degree
- Master of Science in Public Health
- Academic concentration
- Industrial Hygiene
- Degree granting institution
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Graduation year
- 1988
- Language
- Deposit record
- ad7e9272-7c4f-43e0-afeb-7a5f2526ad76
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