Radon Measurements and Radon Remediationin Băiţa-Ştei Pronearea

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2013

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

indoor radon, CR-39 nuclear track detector, radon-prone area, radon diagnostic, remediation

Abstract

Băiţa-Ştei was the largest uranium reserve in Romania with estimated reserves of 450,000 tons of high grade metal. It was a large open pit mine in the northwest of Romania (West Carpathian Mountains), situated at 123 km south-east of Oradea, the capital of Bihor County. The transport during the time of sediment by Crişul Băiţa water course increased the uranium and radium content in the river meadow. The building material from Crişul Băiţariver bed (stone, gravel, sand) was used as construction material for the houses. In addition, some people living on this valley and surroundings after the opening exploitation used as building material the uranium waste from this mine. Preliminary indoor radon measurement (grab samples) in the villages situated on the route of ore transport (BăiţaPlai -Ştei) shown high radon concentrations, until 5000 Bq m−3. The new result obtained in this work in springer season 252 Bq m−3 is comparable with the annual means of 241 Bq m−3 and 229 Bq m−3 respectively, previously obtained, but more than twice times higher than the average value of 126 Bq m−3, computed for Romania. About 3000 of etched CR-39 track detectors were used followed by a selection of 20 houses proposed for remediation where a systematic investigation regarding radon sources was performed. The measured indoor radon concentration in the surveyed buildings ranged from 40 to 4000 Bq m−3. For experimental research, a representative pilot house was chosen. This house represents an example of a typical building from this area, with complex and various radon entry pathways which are correlated with the geology of soil. This building was chosen as pilot house due to the fact that it requires different ventilation systems or other remedial measures to be installed

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Citation / Publisher Attribution

Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Science, v. 8, issue 2, p. 191-199

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