The Determination of Radon/Thoron Exhalation Rate in an Underground Coal Mine—Preliminary Results

The objective of this work was to perform a series of measurements of radon and thoron exhalation in the underground workings of an experimental coal mine. In the years 2012–2015, experiments on underground coal gasification were carried out in a coal mine, which caused, among other effects, damage to rock mass. Afterward, periodic increases in the concentration of potential alpha energy (PAEC) of radon decay products in the air were found, which could pose a hazard to miners. The question posed was whether the gasification experiment resulted in the increased migration of radon and thoron. If so, did it increase the radiation hazard to miners? The adaptation of the existing instrumentation to the specific conditions was conducted, and a series of measurements were made. It was found that the measured values of radon and thoron exhalation rates ranged from 3.0 up to 38 Bq·m−2·h−1 for radon and from 500 up to 2000 Bq·m−2·h−1 for thoron.

[1]  A. Schimmelmann,et al.  Radioactive Thoron 220Rn Exhalation From Unfired Mud Building Material Into Room Air of Earthen Dwellings , 2021, Frontiers in Earth Science.

[2]  E. Pinilla-Gil,et al.  Radon and thoron exhalation rate, emanation factor and radioactivity risks of building materials of the Iberian Peninsula , 2020, PeerJ.

[3]  B. K. Sapra,et al.  A novel method based on 220Rn (thoron) exhalation rate of indoor surfaces for robust estimates of 220Rn concentration and equilibrium factor to compute inhalation dose. , 2020, Chemosphere.

[4]  M. Živanović,et al.  Radon and thoron exhalation rate measurements from building materials used in Serbia , 2020, Nukleonika.

[5]  B. Michalik,et al.  Modelling of radon hazards in underground mine workings. , 2019, The Science of the total environment.

[6]  R. Mehra,et al.  Study of radon/thoron exhalation rate, soil-gas radon concentration, and assessment of indoor radon/thoron concentration in Siwalik Himalayas of Jammu & Kashmir , 2018 .

[7]  D. Sharma,et al.  A study of indoor radon, thoron and their exhalation rates in the environment of Fazilka district, Punjab, India , 2018, Acta Geophysica.

[8]  M. Wysocka,et al.  MEASUREMENTS OF AIRBORNE CONCENTRATIONS OF RADON AND THORON DECAY PRODUCTS. , 2017, Radiation Protection Dosimetry.

[9]  Paweł Urban,et al.  Aerosol concentration and particle size distributions in underground excavations of a hard coal mine , 2017, International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics : JOSE.

[10]  T. Vígh,et al.  Radon measurements and dose estimate of workers in a manganese ore mine. , 2017, Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine.

[11]  Z. Sas,et al.  Thoron emanation and exhalation of Slovenian soils determined by a PIC detector-equipped radon monitor , 2016 .

[12]  Amit Kumar,et al.  Ventilation effect on indoor radon–thoron levels in dwellings and correlation with soil exhalation rates , 2016 .

[13]  R. P. Chauhan,et al.  Estimation of radionuclides content and radon–thoron exhalation from commonly used building materials in India , 2015, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[14]  R. P. Chauhan,et al.  Study of Indoor Radon, Thoron, Their Progeny Concentration and Radon Exhalation Rate in the Environs of Mohali, Punjab, Northern India , 2015 .

[15]  H. Yonehara,et al.  Influence of humidity on radon and thoron exhalation rates from building materials. , 2015, Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine.

[16]  D. P. Mishra,et al.  Sources of Radon and its Measurement Techniques in Underground Uranium Mines – An Overview , 2014, Journal of Sustainable Mining.

[17]  D. Xiao,et al.  The method for recalibration of thoron concentration reading of RAD7 and obtaining the thoron exhalation rate from soil surface , 2013 .

[18]  B. Michalik,et al.  Occupational radiation risk caused by NORM in coal mining industry , 2011 .

[19]  S. Uchida,et al.  Influence of soil environmental parameters on thoron exhalation rate. , 2010, Radiation protection dosimetry.

[20]  J. Tschiersch,et al.  Application of LSC and TLD methods for the measurement of radon and thoron decay products in air. , 2010, Radiation protection dosimetry.

[21]  C. Cosma,et al.  Simultaneous measurement of radon and thoron exhalation rate from soil and building materials , 2005 .

[22]  M. Wysocka,et al.  Correlation of Radon Concentration Level with Mining and Geological Conditions in Upper Silesia Region , 2003 .

[23]  M. Wysocka,et al.  Measurement of Radon Exhalation from Soil - Development of the Method and Preliminary Results , 2003 .

[24]  H. S. Virk,et al.  Exhalation rate study of radon/thoron in some building materials , 2001 .

[25]  J Skowronek,et al.  Monitoring and Control of the Radon Hazard in Polish Coal Mines. , 1998 .

[26]  D. Pierce,et al.  Lung cancer in radon-exposed miners and estimation of risk from indoor exposure. , 1995, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[27]  M. Ralph,et al.  An investigation into radiation exposures in underground non-uranium mines in Western Australia , 1994 .

[28]  D. Page,et al.  The Distribution of Radon and its Decay Products in Some UK Coal Mines , 1992 .

[29]  Naomi H. Harley,et al.  Comparative Dosimetry of Radon in Mines and Homes , 1992 .

[30]  M. A. Tabatabai,et al.  Radon and Its Decay Products in Indoor Air , 1989 .

[31]  A. B. Tanner Radon migration in the ground: a supplementary review , 1978 .

[32]  A. B. Tanner RADON MIGRATION IN THE GROUND: A REVIEW. , 1968 .

[33]  D. M. Howell,et al.  Concentrations of Radon-222 in Coal Mines in England and Scotland , 1968, Nature.

[34]  D. O. Staley The diurnal oscillations of radon and thoron and their decay products , 1966 .