Passive, integrated measurement of radon using 5A synthetic zeolite and blue silica gel

Paschalides, JS; Marinakis, GS; Petropoulos, NP

dc.contributor.author	Paschalides, JS	en
dc.contributor.author	Marinakis, GS	en
dc.contributor.author	Petropoulos, NP	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:34:08Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:34:08Z
dc.date.issued	2010	en
dc.identifier.issn	0969-8043	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/20674
dc.subject	Activated carbon	en
dc.subject	Radon	en
dc.subject	Silica gel	en
dc.subject	Zeolite	en
dc.subject.classification	Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear	en
dc.subject.classification	Nuclear Science & Technology	en
dc.subject.classification	Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging	en
dc.subject.other	Active carbon	en
dc.subject.other	Calibration uncertainty	en
dc.subject.other	Controlled conditions	en
dc.subject.other	Dry atmospheres	en
dc.subject.other	Lower limit of detections	en
dc.subject.other	Maintenance free	en
dc.subject.other	Mean concentrations	en
dc.subject.other	Passive devices	en
dc.subject.other	Radon chamber	en
dc.subject.other	Radon concentrations	en
dc.subject.other	Radon decay products	en
dc.subject.other	Relative humidities	en
dc.subject.other	Synthetic zeolites	en
dc.subject.other	Temperature and relative humidity	en
dc.subject.other	Atmospheric humidity	en
dc.subject.other	Charcoal	en
dc.subject.other	Gamma rays	en
dc.subject.other	Gelation	en
dc.subject.other	Humidity control	en
dc.subject.other	Moisture	en
dc.subject.other	Oxides	en
dc.subject.other	Radon	en
dc.subject.other	Recycling	en
dc.subject.other	Silica	en
dc.subject.other	Silica gel	en
dc.subject.other	Uncertainty analysis	en
dc.subject.other	Zeolites	en
dc.subject.other	Activated carbon	en
dc.subject.other	activated carbon	en
dc.subject.other	radon	en
dc.subject.other	silica gel	en
dc.subject.other	zeolite	en
dc.subject.other	ambient air	en
dc.subject.other	article	en
dc.subject.other	calibration	en
dc.subject.other	controlled study	en
dc.subject.other	gamma radiation	en
dc.subject.other	humidity	en
dc.subject.other	priority journal	en
dc.subject.other	radiation absorption	en
dc.subject.other	radiation exposure	en
dc.subject.other	radiation measurement	en
dc.subject.other	radioisotope decay	en
dc.subject.other	temperature	en
dc.title	Passive, integrated measurement of radon using 5A synthetic zeolite and blue silica gel	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.08.017	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.08.017	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2010	en
heal.abstract	Synthetic zeolite of 0.5 nm pore size (5A) and blue silica gel were tested to determine their capability to be used as radon collectors. Tests conducted in a radon chamber under controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity indicate that simple, inexpensive and maintenance-free passive devices containing about 250g of synthetic zeolite or about 270g of blue silica gel in open face metal canisters that can measure radon conveniently and adequately, the latter though being suitable only for dry-medium dry atmosphere with quite high radon concentrations. Both materials can be recycled for reuse, in a way similar to the recycle and reuse of active carbon. The amount of radon adsorbed in such collectors is determined by counting the gamma rays from the radon decay products. The lower limit of detection (LLD) is estimated to similar to 45 Bqm(-3) for the synthetic zeolite and to similar to 350 Bqm(-3) for the blue silica gel, for an exposure of 48 h at a relative humidity of about 50%. In comparison, the corresponding LLD for active carbon is estimated to 10 Bqm(-3). At relative humidity in the range between 10% and 50%, radon chamber experiments indicate that the measured radon in the canisters is proportional to the mean concentration of radon during the period of exposure. It is estimated that calibration uncertainty lies within +/- 20% for both materials, thus suggesting that at least detectors based on the 5A synthetic zeolite presenting a reasonably low LLD, are a feasible and of similar cost alternative to activated carbon for indoors radon concentration measurements in practical situations. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.	en
heal.publisher	PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD	en
heal.journalName	Applied Radiation and Isotopes	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.08.017	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000276422300027	en
dc.identifier.volume	68	en
dc.identifier.issue	1	en
dc.identifier.spage	155	en
dc.identifier.epage	163	en