Radon measurements and dose estimate of workers in a manganese ore mine

Appl Radiat Isot. 2017 Jun:124:32-37. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.02.047. Epub 2017 Mar 10.

Abstract

In the new European Basic Safety Standard (EU-BSS), a new reference level for indoor radon concentration in workplaces has recommended that the annual average activity concentration of indoor radon shall not be higher than 300Bqm-3. This paper describes the radon concentration level in an underground workplace (manganese ore mine) over long time intervals (4 years). Several common radon monitors devices - including NRPB and Raduet (as a passive method based on CR-39), AlphaGUARD PQ 2000Pro, SARAD EQF3220, TESLA and Pylon WLX (as active methods) - were used for continuous radon measurements. The output results were used, first, to comprised the result of each device, based on conditions present in underground mines; Second, to have comprehensive measurements about all factors that cause workers exposure to radiation (each monitoring device specified for a unique measurement). The results indicate that the mine's staff had successful efforts to reach the strict requirement of the new EU-BSS, and the average annual radon activity concentrations during the working hours were below 300Bqm-3 in the investigated period. The paper presents the effective dose calculations; applying different equilibrium factors suggested by the literature and calculated basing on our measurements at the site, concluding that the differences could be about threefold.

Keywords: Active radon detector; EU-BSS; Effective dose; Manganese mine; Passive radon detectors; Radon; Radon progeny.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis
  • Humans
  • Hungary
  • Manganese*
  • Maximum Allowable Concentration
  • Mining*
  • Occupational Exposure / analysis
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiation Exposure / analysis
  • Radiation Monitoring / methods
  • Radon / analysis*

Substances

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Manganese
  • Radon