Energy-efficient reconstructions and indoor radon: the impact assessed by CDs/DVDs

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
Dobromir PressyanovIvelina Dimitrova

Abstract

Recent modelling suggests that the expense of energy-efficient building reconstructions can be the enhanced indoor radon levels and the related adverse health impact. Here we show that a couple of home-stored CDs/DVDs can be used to check by direct measurements whether a significant change in radon level occurred in the past after building reconstruction. Radon is continuously absorbed in the polycarbonate material of CDs/DVDs and its average concentration can be determined by etching alpha tracks at a certain depth in the disk. With two disks, one bought before and one after the reconstruction, a change in radon concentration can be detected retrospectively. Within a pilot study of 20 rooms in 16 buildings that underwent energy-efficient interventions years in the past, we observed significant increase in radon concentration (at 95% confidence level) in 35% of the cases, and no case with significant decrease. Direct indication of a radon problem emerged after some of the energy-efficient building interventions was observed. The CD/DVD based approach provides a tool for assessment of the effect of different energy-efficient reconstruction approaches on indoor radon in very short terms and could be useful for finding radon-safe ...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1993·Health Physics·J A GunbyD R Cox
May 16, 2003·Health Physics·D PressyanovA Van Deynse
Jan 22, 2004·International Journal of Cancer. Journal International Du Cancer·Jay H LubinRuth A Kleinerman
Apr 13, 2006·Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part a·Daniel KrewskiHomer B Wilcox
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Mar 23, 2010·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·D PressyanovI Dimitrova
Apr 8, 2011·Radiation Protection Dosimetry·I DimitrovaP Yankov
Jun 29, 2012·Radiation Protection Dosimetry·M SlezákováJ Holecek
Jan 15, 2014·BMJ : British Medical Journal·James MilnerPaul Wilkinson

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Citations

Apr 5, 2016·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·D PressyanovJ Kolev
Oct 4, 2016·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·Bernard CollignanCorinne Mandin
Dec 2, 2017·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·D PressyanovD Dimitrov
Apr 10, 2021·International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health·Mateja DovjakJanja Vaupotič

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