Re: Radon Levels

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

On Fri, 16 Jun 2000, Otto G. Raabe wrote:

> June 15, 2000
> Davis, CA
> 
> The working level month is defined at exposure for 168 hours, which is a
> work month, to 100 pCi/L of radon-222 in equilibrium with its short-lived
> decay products. The EPA assumes 50% equilibrium in homes so 4 pCi/L is
> equivalent to 2 pCi/L at equilibrium. So from there all you need to know is
> how many hours per month one is exposed to home air. If it happens to be
> 168 hours per month, 4 pCi/L of radon would yield 0.02 WLM in one month or
> 0.24 WLM per year.

	--Lest there may be confusion, exposure in homes is ordinarily
assumed to be more like 550 hours per month, so 4 pCi/L in a home gives an
exposure of 550/168 x 0.24 = 0.79 WLM/year.

Bernard L. Cohen
Physics Dept.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Tel: (412)624-9245
Fax: (412)624-9163
e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu


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