Indoor radon periodicities and their physical constraints: a study in the Coimbra region (Central Portugal)

J Environ Radioact. 2009 Oct;100(10):896-904. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2009.06.017. Epub 2009 Jul 26.

Abstract

Indoor radon activities were measured during a period of 6 months, as well as several physical environmental variables (temperature, pressure, humidity and rainfall). The location was a small room at an administrative building of the University of Coimbra, usually undisturbed by human activities and situated over bedrock of low-uranium Triassic red sandstones. A low average activity of radon was observed (36 Bq m(-3)), however showing a very well marked daily periodicity (10+/-5 Bq m(-3)), with maximum values occurring more frequently between 9 and 10 a.m. Daily variations are shown to have no relation with earth tides, and their amplitudes exhibit a significant correlation with outdoor temperature; no dependence on barometric pressure was found. Rainfall disturbs the observed daily radon cycles through a strong reduction of their amplitude, but has no effect on the long-term variability of the gas concentration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / statistics & numerical data
  • Geography
  • Kinetics
  • Periodicity*
  • Portugal
  • Radiation Monitoring
  • Radon / analysis*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Radon