Influence of Dose Conversions, Equilibrium Factors, and Unattached Fractions on Radon Risk Assessment in Operating and Show Underground Mines

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr 12;20(8):5482. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20085482.

Abstract

This paper compares the results of measurements taken in the underground workings of active and tourist mines. In these facilities, the aerosol size distributions of ambient aerosols at key workplaces and the distributions of radioactive aerosols containing radon decay products were determined. Based on these studies, dose conversions used for dose assessment and unattached fractions were determined. In addition, radon activity concentrations and potential alpha energy concentrations of short-lived progeny were also measured in the mines to determine the equilibrium factor. The dose conversions varied between 2-7 mSv/(mJ × h × m-3). The unattached fraction measured in active coal mines ranged from 0.01-0.23, in tourist mines from 0.09-0.44, and in the tourist cave it was 0.43. The results showed significant discrepancies between the effective doses determined from current recommendations and legal regulations and those determined from direct measurements of parameters affecting exposure.

Keywords: assessment of effective dose; cave; equilibrium factors; evaluation of dose conversion; radon hazards; unattached fraction; underground active and show mines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols
  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive* / analysis
  • Occupational Exposure* / analysis
  • Radiation Monitoring* / methods
  • Radon* / analysis
  • Risk Assessment

Substances

  • Radon
  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Aerosols

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the European RadoNorm project. This project has received funding from the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2019–2020 under grant agreement no. 900009 and the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education Programme “PMW” (international co-found projects) under grant agreement no. 5156/H2020-Euratom/2020/2021/2.