A Study on the Characteristics of Indoor Radon Concentration in Water Curtain Cultivation Facilities

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate indoor radon concentration in the water curtain cultivation facilities located in the rural area of Sejong city during the winter season. The bedrock of the southern part of the city is mainly composed of granite rocks, which have been reported to retain higher radon content than sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The measured indoor radon concentrations were very high in all the facilities partially exceeding the recommended values provided in the 「Indoor Air Quality Control Act」 guidelines. Furthermore, we observed that operation of equipment to maintain stable indoor temperatures resulted in diurnal variations in radon concentration. Based on the results, we concluded that suitable measures such as changing the time at which work starts or ventilating in advance could help reduce the duration of exposure to radon.

Radon concentration and affecting environmental conditions in water-curtain heated cultivation facilities

“…Water curtain cultivation (WCC) facilities spray groundwater to form a water film on the inner houses for heat insulation in the winter season, which leads to an additional risk of radon in the groundwater being released into the air [ 10 , 11 ]. A case study showed that radon concentrations in three nearby WCC facilities reached a few thousand Bq/m 3 and varied greatly among the measuring sites [ 12 ]. The maximum values occurred at dawn and then decreased with increasing ventilation, similar to those in an ordinary greenhouse.…”

“…The maximum values occurred at dawn and then decreased with increasing ventilation, similar to those in an ordinary greenhouse. However, the origin and detailed dynamics of radon accumulation have not been specified because of a lack of other information [ 12 ].…”