CFD modelling of thoron and thoron progeny in the indoor environment

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2011 May;145(2-3):138-44. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncr056. Epub 2011 Mar 29.

Abstract

Thoron (220Rn) exhalation from building materials has become increasingly recognised as a potential source for radiation exposure in residences. However, contrary to radon (222Rn), limited information on thoron exposure is available. The purpose of this study is to estimate the concentration of thoron and its progeny products in a typical Dutch living room using computational fluid dynamics. The predicted thoron concentration is ∼9 Bq m(-3) using a source term of 14 Bq s(-1) for the thoron exhalation from building materials. The concentration varies from 15 Bq m(-3) near the building materials to 2.7 Bq m(-3) in the centre of the living room. The mean effective dose from thoron progeny is calculated as 0.09 mSv y(-1), with a total effective dose from radon and thoron progeny of 0.38 mSv y(-1).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
  • Computer Simulation*
  • Housing
  • Humans
  • Hydrodynamics*
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Radiation Monitoring
  • Radon / analysis*
  • Radon Daughters / analysis*

Substances

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Radon Daughters
  • Radon