REGIONAL TRAINING COURSE

15-18 NOV

Protocols and procedures for radon

measurements in water

Kirlna Skeppström
CONTENT

➢ Measurement protocols
➢ Recommendations from international
organisations
➢ Remediation action
 WHERE TO SAMPLE ?

Water supply chain/distribution system (pipes and stations)

Source Consumption point

Raw/untreated water Treated water
Expected high radon levels Expected low radon levels

➢ It depends on the purpose of analysis!

➢ Consumption point: Best estimate of what consumers are getting in their drinking water
(Article 5 in 2013/51/Euratom)
➢ Source: Mapping radon potential in water

Note: Difference between sampling at waterworks and sampling for private wells
SAMPLING PROCEDURES

• Reference to ISO-standard 13164 (2013)

• Sample manipulations and storage can significantly affect the results
• How to correctly take samples to avoid radon loss?
• Storage of samples- remember half-life of 222Rn is 3,8 days!
• Sampling bottles/lid- airtight!
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAMPLING OF RADON IN WATER

Sampling
• Flowing water or stagnant water?

Flowing water
• Run the water long to get fresh sample (dispose of at least 50 liters of water-feasible?)
• Adjust flow of water to avoid turbulence and air bubbles – for example remove faucet aerator!
• Fill sampling bottle completely without air bubbles below the cap
SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Reference: Kitto (2018), IAEA webinar

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Reference: Kitto (2018), IAEA webinar

 SAMPLING
TECHNIQUE

Injecting water under

scintillation cocktail

Reference: Kitto (2018), IAEA webinar

BOTTLE MATERIAL AND CAP

ISO- standards
• ISO 5667-3 recommends use of glass bottle
• ISO 13164 recommends other bottle materials (non-porous, resistant to pressure and
temperature shock and non-hydrophobic materials to prevent formation of air bubbles on the
walls of bottle)

Bottle cap is also of importance

• Should be air-tight but made of flexible material, see more information in Jobbagy et. Al
(2019)
GUIDELINES FROM INTERNATIONAL BODIES

• WHO (more appropriate to measure and manage radon in

indoor air)
• 2013/51/Euratom Directive (parameter value: 100 Bq/l)
WHO
WHO
WHO
2013/51/EURATOM
 2013/51/EURATOM- WATER DIRECTIVE

Parametric value for radon: 100 Bq/l

2013/51/EURATOM- WATER DIRECTIVE

Article 5: parametric values and points of compliance

• From a distribution network or a tanker

Article 6: Monitoring and analysis

• Minimum sampling and analysis frequencies
• Representative surveys to determine scale and nature of radon problem in water
• Representative of the quality of water consumed throughout the year

Annex II: Monitoring of radioactive substances

SAMPLING FREQUENCY (EU-DIRECTIVE)
REMEDIATION TECHNIQUES FOR RADON

• Radon is chemically inert

• Remediation technique cannot be based on chemical reactions

• Radon has a very small mass

• 5000 Bq is approximately 0,88 x 10-12 g

• Radon is soluble in water

• Concentration of radon decreases due to its physical half-life (3,83 days)
IN CASE OF HIGH RADON CONCENTRATIONS

Potential remediation measures

➢ Change to a municipal water supply
➢ Change groundwater source? (from drilled well to dug well?)
➢ Remediation technique to reduce concentration of radon in water
➢ All drinking water has to be remediated (not only volume of water for ingestion)
REMEDIATION TECHNIQUES

• Storage (reduction due to physical half-life)

• Blending (mix with radon-free water)
• Aeration (radon degasses easily from water to air)
• Adsorption on granulated activated carbon
• Membrane filtration (e.g. reverse osmosis-membrane allows water molecules to pass but
not radon atoms)
STORAGE

• 4 days reduction 50%

• 8 days reduction 75%
• 13 days reduction 90%
• 25 days reduction 99%
AERATION TECHNIQUE

• Radon degasses from water and enter the air by diffusion

• Efficiency of process depends on
• Contact time between water and air
• Surface area of water droplets
• Regular flow of air during aeration process
• Temperature and pressure of air and water
AERATION
TECHNIQUE
AERATION TECHNIQUE

Advantages Disadvantages
Expensive
• High removal effciency
>99% Degassed radon must be
ventilated in a safe away
• No production and
accumulation of
radioactivity in waste
product
• Remove other gases
ADSORPTION ON GRANULATED ACTIVATED
CARBON (GAC)
• Radon adsorbs on GAC (physical adsorption- Van der Waals forces)
• Adsorbed radon decays and short-lived progeny gets retained in filter matrix
• After ~3 weeks a state of equilibrium is achieved between radon and progenies
• Adsorption capacity is directly related to the extremely high internal surface area with
the porous structure of filter.
ADSORBTION ON GRANULATED ACTIVATED
CARBON

Disadvantages
Advantages
• Accumulation of waste in
• High removal effciency
the filter
>95%
• Emit gamma radiation
• Low installation cost
• Waste disposal problem
• Improve taste and odour
of water • GAC gets saturated and
need to be changed after
some time