Indoor 222Rn concentration in the exhibition and storage rooms of Polish geological museums

Magdalena Długosz-Lisiecka; Marcin Krystek; Paweł Raczyński; Ewa Głuszek; Barbara Kietlińska-Michalik; Mariusz Niechwedowicz

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.12.020

Indoor ²²²Rn concentration in the exhibition and storage rooms of Polish geological museums

Appl Radiat Isot. 2017 Mar:121:12-15. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.12.020. Epub 2016 Dec 16.

Authors

Magdalena Długosz-Lisiecka¹, Marcin Krystek², Paweł Raczyński³, Ewa Głuszek⁴, Barbara Kietlińska-Michalik⁵, Mariusz Niechwedowicz⁶

Affiliations

¹ Technical University of Lodz, Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Wróblewskiego 15, 90-924 Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: mdlugosz@mitr.p.lodz.pl.
² Geological Museum, University of Lodz, in Memorial J. Ziomek, Ziomek, Kopcińskiego 31, 90-142 Łódź, Poland.
³ Geological Museum, in Memorial H. Teisseyre, Teisseyre, University of Wroclaw, W. Cybulskiego 30, 50-205 Wrocław, Poland.
⁴ Museum of Deposit Geology in Memorial of Cz. Poborski, Poborski, Akademicka 2, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.
⁵ Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Research Centre in Krakow, Senacka 1, 31-002 Kraków, Poland.
⁶ Geological Museum, in Memorial S. J. Thugutt,Thugutt, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warszawa, Poland.

PMID: 28013151
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.12.020

Abstract

The radon exhaled from radioactive mineral collections exhibited in five Polish geological museums may influence its total indoor concentration. Radon concentrations measured in the exhibition halls do not pose a risk for visitors or museum staff. However, air exceeding the ICRP (2007) action limit for workers (equal to 300Bq/m³) was noted in the storage rooms of two museums. Significant²²²Rn activity concentrations equal to more than ~300kBq/m³were measured inside lead containers where radioactive minerals were stored.

Keywords: Inhalation dose; Radioactive minerals; Radon in the air.

Publication types

Validation Study

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
Air Pollution, Radioactive / analysis*
Geology
Humans
Minerals
Museums*
Occupational Exposure / analysis
Poland
Radiation Exposure / analysis
Radiation Monitoring / methods
Radon / analysis*

Substances

Air Pollutants, Radioactive
Minerals
Radon-222
Radon