[ RadSafe ] Radon Daughters on People [was "Salsman warning"]

[Emer, Dudley]

While doing statewide gamma spec radon assessments for the Arizona
Geological Survey I surveyed a house in the Granite Dells area of
Prescott that had a water well whose casing and sump were located
indoors in the corner of the bathroom.  After flushing the bathroom with
fresh air and running the shower for 1 minute the radon level in that
room rose from 0 to 200 pCi/l (0 to 7.4 Bq/l).  The house was located on
a thin colluvium of a granite stock.  The granite itself was about 20
pCi/g (0.74 Bq/g) uranium equivalent by in-situ gamma spec.  The
charcoal canisters taken in the house reportedly tripped the
laboratory's radiation monitor on arrival.  As I remember the radon
results were somewhere around 12,000 to 18,000 pCi/l (444 to 666 Bq/l).
So while Watras and the Reading Prong were receiving all the publicity
at the time it was actually Arizona that topped the record for highest
radon count in a residence.  I wonder who holds that honor now.


Dudley Emer
Geophysicist
National Security Technologies
Nevada Test Site, Mercury, Nv
702-295-7808 office
702-794-5824 pager
702-521-8577 cell

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of
Andycgeo at aol.com
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 11:22 AM
To: hotgreenchile at gmail.com; Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV;
radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Radon Daughters on People [was "Salsman
warning"]

I do not think that 1,500 pCi of radon/liter of water will raise the  
background radiation significantly. Remember that only 50%-60% of the
radon is  
degassed from the water (hot shower) which is diluted in the very large

volume of air of the house. For all practical purposes, domestic water
of  
10,000 pCi/L, may contribute about 
1 pCi/L in air. Radon in water at 1,500 pCi/L will raise the radon in
air  
by about 0.15 pCi/L
 
 
Andy George