Bezuidenhout J
Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
J Environ Radioact. 2021 Aug;234:106647. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106647. Epub 2021 May 13.
Very few studies have been done on radon in South Africa, even though South Africa holds nearly a tenth of the global uranium deposits. This study aimed to map and estimate the radon risk for South Africa, and to identify potential hotspots. In this study, the uranium content of the different types of rock was determined and uranium concentrations in geological units were then projected. A uranium distribution map of South Africa was then constructed, and indoor radon concentrations were estimated and mapped based on the uranium levels of areas. Towns in areas where indoor radon measurements were conducted compared well with the estimated radon values. The maps predicted high estimated indoor radon concentrations in areas at several geological structures. Towns in these areas that have not been measured were identified. The south-western and north-eastern regions of South Africa pose the highest radon risk according to this study, and extensive radon measurements in the towns of these regions is proposed.
尽管南非拥有全球近十分之一的铀储量，但该国针对氡的研究却非常少。本研究旨在绘制南非的氡风险图并进行估算，同时识别潜在的热点地区。在这项研究中，测定了不同类型岩石的铀含量，然后推算出地质单元中的铀浓度。随后构建了南非的铀分布图，并根据各地区的铀含量估算并绘制了室内氡浓度图。进行过室内氡测量的地区的城镇，其测量值与估算的氡值吻合良好。这些地图预测了几个地质构造区域的室内氡浓度估计值较高。确定了这些区域中尚未进行测量的城镇。根据这项研究，南非的西南部和东北部地区氡风险最高，建议在这些地区的城镇进行广泛的氡测量。
