Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University, Private bag X2, Saldanha, 7395, South Africa.
Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2020 Nov 27;191(2):144-149. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncaa139.
Granite commonly contains high concentrations of uranium, with consequent high exhalation of radon. The geology of the West Coast peninsula of South Africa is dominated by granite, and a recent article predicted potentially high indoor radon concentrations in this region's two largest towns, Vredenburg and Saldanha. This research aimed to measure indoor radon levels in these towns. Measurements were first done for a minimum of 3 d during warmer months, with houses typically being more ventilated. Thirty-four homes in Vredenburg and 27 in Saldanha were measured, and the average indoor radon determined to be 40 and 58 Bq m-3, respectively. The measurements were then repeated during the colder months, and an increase in average radon concentration of 173 Bq m-3 for Saldanha and 153 Bq m-3 for Vredenburg was found. The granite geology and lifestyle of occupants during the colder months seem to contribute towards elevated levels of indoor radon concentrations.
花岗岩通常含有高浓度的铀，因此会有大量氡气散发出来。南非西海岸半岛的地质主要由花岗岩构成，最近的一篇文章预测，在该地区的两个最大城镇——弗里德伯格和萨尔达纳，室内氡浓度可能很高。本研究旨在测量这两个城镇的室内氡水平。首先在较温暖的月份进行至少 3 天的测量，因为房屋通常通风更好。在弗里德伯格测量了 34 户家庭，在萨尔达纳测量了 27 户家庭，分别确定室内氡的平均水平为 40 和 58 Bq m-3。然后在较冷的月份再次进行测量，发现萨尔达纳的平均氡浓度增加了 173 Bq m-3，弗里德伯格增加了 153 Bq m-3。花岗岩地质和居住者在较冷的月份的生活方式似乎导致室内氡浓度升高。
