Pre- and Post-Mitigation Measurements of Indoor Radon in Homes with Excessive Radon Concentrations

Douglas G. Mose, Fiorella Simoni, and George W. Mushrush, Chemistry Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, Tel.  703-993-1068, Fax: 703-273-2282

Using year-long alpha-track radon detectors, indoor radon measurements from about 2000 homes in Virginia and Maryland were mostly found to be between 1 and 30 pCi/L. In approximately 200 of the homes, sub-slab ventilation was installed to reduce the indoor radon concentrations.  By random selection, the mitigation by sub-slab ventilation used either 2-inch, 3-inch, or 4-inch diameter exhaust pipe from the basement floor penetration site through to the externally located exhaust fan. Approximately 90 percent of the homes showed successful reductions in radon concentrations to below 4 pCi/L, the US-EPA recommended maximum for the sale of homes.  Most of the unsuccessful homes were those in which the sub-slab ventilation system used 2-inch diameter exhaust pipe.  The homes in which 3-inch and 4-inch exhaust pipe was used showed approximately the same success rate.      

Indoor Radon Measurements from Homes in Southern Poland

George W. Mushrush, Fiorella Simoni, and Douglas G. Mose, Chemistry Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, Tel.  703-993-1068, Fax: 703-273-2282

In the northern and central parts of Poland, thick layers of glacial deposits contain low uranium concentrations and the homes have low indoor radon concentrations (most less than 1 pCi/L).  In southern Poland, in the Sudety Mountains, mountain core crystalline rocks contain numerous sites of uranium mineralization, some of which were extensively mined 50 years ago. Most of the mineralization occurs as small veins of uranium minerals, mineralized fault zones, and zones of hydrothermal enrichment around the perimeter of formerly molten chambers of granite.  Soil developed on this terrane has relatively high soil-gas radon concentrations.  The measurements of soil radon above the Sudety Mountain granites, gneisses and schists have a geometric mean of about 2000 pCi/L.  The highest measurement in the crystalline terrane found to date is about 40,000 pCi/L.  Over 50 percent of the homes have indoor radon concentrations in excess of 4 pCi/L, the US-EPA recommended maximum for home sales.  In Poland, where a large portion of the population lives in the same area for most of their lives, we anticipate that radon potential based on soil radon and permeability will show a positive correlation with the incidence of lung cancer.

Radioecological Monitoring and Decontamination Technology of NORM Sludge from Vuctyl Oil and Gas Field

Vladimir O. Nekoutchaev and Eugenue I. Krapivski, Ukhta State University, Pervomayskaya 13,Ukhta, Russia, 169300, Tel: 82-147 - 367-49, Fax: 82-147- 345-12
Victor Ryzhakov, Vuctyl Company “Severgasprom, Vuctyl, Russia, 169400, Tel: 82-146 - 21-360, Fax: 82-147- 21-360

Radioactive contamination of oil and gas production and processing facilities is now commonly known to be an important ecological problem throughout the world. The present paper deals with the investigation of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) contamination at one of the largest oil and gas-condensate fields in the north of Russia – Vuctyl field. 

The geochemistry of radium behavior in produced waters of Vuctyl oil and gas field has been investigated. The main sources of radioactive contamination from this field are radium 226, radium 228 and radon decay products. The main sources of radiation danger from oil and gas production facilities are sludges of produced water, deposits of radioactive salts on the equipment, and previously buried sludges and scale. The natural gas may contain considerable concentration of radon.

The theoretical and methodical bases of the control for the processes of NORM sludge decontamination have been  developed. At laboratory and industrial conditions the influence of the processes of leaching, sorption, dissolution, deemanation, thermal, chemical and high temperature processing on the decontamination of the large volumes of sludges with elevated radioactivity have been investigated. The way of transformation of insoluble radium minerals into the soluble forms has been developed.

The industrial installation and technology for NORM sludge decontamination have been created. To the best of the authors knowledge  the technology has no Russian analogues. It has been proved, that as a result of decontamination of sludge with a specific activity about 100 kBk/kg the solid insoluble final product may have specific activity no more than 1,5 kBk/kg, and liquid final product – less than 1 Bq/l.

Top