Radon is a known cause of lung cancer.

Devise a sampling plan and develop a methodology that

is specific for radon to be use on site in the basements and in the building construction business.

Abstract
High concentrations of Radon in the air can cause lung cancer. This paper outlines a method and
sampling plan for measuring the radon concentration in air that is based on the radioactive decay
and subsequent emission of alpha particles by the isotopes of Radon and is to be used on site for
small construction projects. The methods percentage error and the coefficient of variation are
both less than 10% which is within the expectations of the desired method.

Introduction
Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring
uranium in soil and water. The two isotopes of Radon that exist in significant concentrations in
the environment are Radon-222 and Radon-220. Of these radon-222 is more readily occurring.
When radon is inhaled, the alpha particles that result from its radioactive decay strike body tissue
causing damage that can lead to lung cancer. Radon's decay products also enter the lungs and
decay quickly damaging lung tissue. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung
cancer after smoking.
The proposed method is based on detecting radon using the decrease in voltage on an
electrostatically charged disk detector caused by the ionization resulting from the decay of radon
and its progeny. Numerous methods including the proposed electret method for radon detection
have been developed over the past years. Some common methods include Activated Charcoal
Absorption where radon in the air is adsorbed onto charcoal granules and analyzed in a
laboratory and Alpha Track Detection which is based on counting the damage tracks made by
alpha particles on a special film or plastic.

Experimental method
Prior to developing a methodology, the scope of the problem was clearly defined. Some of the
important factors considered in the problem definition were: cost, sampling time, detection limit
and robustness. The EPA recommends that homes be fixed if the radon level is 4 pCi/L
(picocuries per liter) or more. Therefore the detection limit had to be well below 4 pCi/L. Since
the method is to be used in basements and other building locations, the method had to robust and
be relatively unaffected by small changes in operating parameters such as humidity and
temperature. Sampling time and cost varies depending on the situation. Long term radon
detectors have exposure times more than 90 days which is costly and not ideal. However
contractor safety is of high importance and so it was decided that a sampling time of five days or
less is ideal to take into account radon fluctuations and avoid compromising the reliability of the
results.
The instrument consists of an electrostatically charged disk detector called an electret that is
placed inside a plastic casing. The plastic is made of conductive material. Air containing radon
diffuses into the detector through small holes in the plastic casing covered by a filter. When the
radon decays, it releases alpha particles which interacts with air molecules and ionizes them by
removing electrons. Negative ions are attracted towards the electret and upon contact with the
electret surface slightly discharges it thus reducing the voltage. This reduction in voltage is
calculated by measuring the voltage at the start and end of the procedure. The voltage drop along
with sampling time information is converted to radon concentration using pre-defined
calibrations.
The most important factor to consider when devising a sampling plan is the location of the
device for the duration of the study. The following considerations should be made when deciding
on a suitable location in order to get a representative reading:

The detector should be in a location where it will not be disturbed for the period of study

It should be placed at least 20 inches above the floor (placed flat on a table or shelf) and at

least 3 feet from any doors or windows

All windows and doors must be kept closed as far as possible. Doors must be opened only

long enough to leave or enter

Fireplaces, exhaust fans or any equipment that draws in outside air must not be switched on
The location should not be close to vents, drafts or in direct sunlight

Projected Data and results

If the result of the procedure shows that the radon concentration is less than 4 pCi/L, then it can
be concluded that it is safe by EPA standards for employees to go ahead with the work. If the
result is 4 pCi/L or more then it is recommended to do a second test to verify the results. If the
second test is also positive for high radon concentration then the basement or site is unsafe and
steps should be taken by the respective parties to reduce the radon concentration.
Analytical figures of merit were evaluated for the proposed method and the estimates are
described below.
Specificity The electret device is not exclusive to radon. Since the device is based on the
radioactivity of radon, the electret also exhibits a drop in voltage due to ionizing background
gamma radiation. However this source of error can be corrected for by using the EPA-listed state
average background gamma radiation values while still maintaining sufficient accuracy.
Accuracy The maximum error of the measurements taking into account the error introduced by
the approximate background gamma correction is estimated to be no more than 9%. For a
measurement of 4 pCi/L this amounts to +- 0.4 pCi/L.
Precision - The coefficient of variation is estimated to be approximately 8% when the device is
left for an exposure time of five days.

Sensitivity The electret device is estimated to lose 2 volts of charge per 1 pCi/L of radon gas
per day of exposure. This means that an exposure of 5 days to 4 pCi/L will exhibit a 40 V drop.
This is a high enough sensitivity for the purpose of the detector.
Robustness - Normal changes in temperature or humidity is not expected to affect the
measurements and so this method is quite robust. However an excessive change in humidity can
bring into question the reliability of the results and so during the study, if there is a drastic
change in the weather such as large amounts of rainfall, the test should be redone under normal
conditions.
Detection limit With an exposure time of 5 days, the smallest amount of an analyte that is
significantly different than the blank will be approximately 0.5 pCi/L

Discussion and conclusions

For the particular application in small construction projects, the outlined method to calculate
radon concentration using the drop in voltage of an electret device is well suited in terms of cost,
time and the analytical figures of merit. With a percentage error of less than 10% and an RSD of
~8% this method gives the user enough confidence to make a decision using the results obtained.
In conclusion the proposed method if used with the appropriate sampling plan can detect the
concentration of radon on site in basements and buildings with adequate accuracy and precision
while keeping cost and time low.

http://www.radon.com/radon/radon_facts.html
http://www.epa.gov/radon/aboutus.html
http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/devprot3.html
https://www.osha.gov/dts/sltc/methods/inorganic/id208/id208.pdf
http://www.google.com/patents/US5055674