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Radon is a natural and radioactive gas that can accumulate in indoor environments. Indoor radon concentration (IRC) is influenced, among other factors, by meteorology, which is the subject of this paper. Weather parameters impact indoor radon levels and have already been investigated, but rarely in Switzerland. Moreover, there is a strong need for a better understanding of the radon behaviour inside buildings in Switzerland for public health concerns as Switzerland is a radon prone area. Based on long-term, continuous, and hourly radon measurements, radon distributions classified according to different weather event definitions were investigated and then compared at three different study sites in Western Switzerland. Outdoor temperature influences the most indoor radon, and it is globally anti-correlated. Wind influences indoor radon, but it strongly depends on intensity, direction, and building characteristics. Precipitation influences periodically indoor radon levels relatively to their intensity. Atmospheric pressure and relative humidity do not seem to be huge determinants on IRC. Our results are in line with previous findings and provide a vivid example in Western Switzerland. This paper underlines the different influence complexities of radon, and the need to communicate about it within the broader public and with construction professionals, to raise awareness.

Radionuclide and radon levels have been investigated in soil samples and residential environments within the Mungo and Nkam Divisions of the Littoral Region. These analyses employed gamma spectrometry facilitated by a NaI (Tl) detector for soil samples, yielding average activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40  K at 23.8, 72, and 105 Bq kg −1 , respectively. Various radiological parameters were calculated to evaluate radiological hazards. Additionally, the indoor radon concentrations were quantified utilizing the CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detector (Radtrack), revealing an average concentration of 25 Bq m −3 and an associated inhalation dose of 0.66 mSv y −1 . Risk assessments for lung cancer attributable to indoor radon exposure incorporated models such as the Harley model. An observed moderate correlation between indoor radon levels and external 226 Ra concentrations implies that radon intrusion indoors might be substantially influenced by the 226 Ra present in the subjacent soil, considering the construction of residential structures directly upon these terrains.

Radon is a natural and radioactively well-known carcinogenic indoor air pollutant. Since 2020, a radon short-term proactive methodology has been proposed by Swiss authorities, which aims to evaluate the probability of overpassing the national reference value. This study aims to assess the influence of different weather parameters on indoor radon levels monitored using this methodology. To this end, different statistical tools are used, such as correlations, auto-correlations, cross-correlations, and multiple linear regressions between meteorological parameters and indoor radon levels. We show a strong influence of weather conditions on indoor radon levels in occupied, but especially unoccupied spaces. Outdoor air temperature, followed by atmospheric pressure, was identified as the most significant parameter impacting indoor radon levels. Moreover, meteorological conditions monitored five days prior to the beginning of the radon measurements might affect radon levels. We come to the conclusion that it is of paramount importance to take these meteorological conditions into account when analyzing the results of short-term measurements, and more specifically, to consider the evolution of the weather conditions five days prior to the radon measurement. This paper helps to ensure the relevance of this short-term measurement method available in Switzerland.

The current study was going to detect radon concentrations in one of Cairo’s subways. The radon gas was detected in certain common positions chosen for thirteen stations. Plastic cans were prepared to hold the CR-39 samples and to be positioned at their destination in the stations. The cans were installed through two periods of one month and two months. Afterwards, the track density of radon gas was calculated for all the collected samples and then the concentration of radon was estimated in the stations. It was found that the average value of Rn concentration in the thirteen stations exceeds the average normal Rn concentration indoors. The measured values are less than the recommended maximum value of 300 Bq m −3 for radiation protection of residents according to ICRP Publ. 126. The indoor average radon concentrations were found less than the action level of 300 Bq m −3 , 100 Bq m −3 , and 148 Bq m −3 as recommended by ICRP, and WHO, respectively.

Radon (222Rn) exhalation rates from granite countertops were measured using a continuous radon monitor. The countertops could be separated in three groups according to radon their exhalation rates. However, even for a worst-case scenario (e.g. E ~ 1.10 Bq m−2 h−1, no air circulation and full tile home) the contribution to indoor radon concentration is estimated to be [Rn] < 100 Bq m−3. In addition, despite the uneven radium distribution in the granite slabs, there is significant correlation (r2 = 0.50) between the measured radon levels and the radium content of the granites.

The Ebro River Delta, in the northwestern Mediterranean basin, has an extension of 320 km2 and is mainly covered by rice fields. In the framework of the ClimaDat project, the greenhouse gases atmospheric station DEC was designed and installed in this area in 2013. The DEC station was equipped, among other tools, with a Picarro G2301 instrument and an ARMON (Atmospheric Radon Monitor) to measure both CH4 and CO2 and 222Rn concentrations, respectively. The variability of methane fluxes over this area and during the distinct phases of the rice production cycle was evaluated in this study using the Radon Tracer Method (RTM). The RTM was carried out using (i) nocturnal hourly atmospheric measurements of CH4 and 222Rn between 2013 and 2019 and (ii) FLEXPART-WRF back trajectories coupled with radon flux maps for Europe with a resolution of 0.05° × 0.05° available thanks to the project traceRadon. Prior to the calculation of methane fluxes by RTM, the FLEXPART-WRF model and the traceRadon flux maps were evaluated by modelling atmospheric radon concentrations at the DEC station and comparing them with observed data. RTM-based methane fluxes show a strong seasonality with maximums in October (13.9 mg CH4 m−2 h−1), corresponding with the period of harvest and straw incorporation in rice crop fields, and minimums between March and June (0.2 to 0.6 mg CH4 m−2 h−1). The total estimated methane annual emission was about 262.8 kg CH4 ha−1. These fluxes were compared with fluxes directly measured with static accumulation chambers by other researchers in the same area. Results show strong agreement between both methodologies, having both a similar annual cycle and similar monthly mean absolute values.

An investigation was conducted to determine radon concentrations, radon exhalation rate, and potential radiological hazard parameters associated with cement collected from five factories in Sulaymaniyah city, Kurdistan region, Iraq. Using solid-state nuclear track detectors such as CR39, the samples were analyzed by etching processes. The average radon concentration, radium concentration, and radon exhalation rate were 138.16  Bq m - 3 , 0.254  Bq kg - 1 , and 0.317  Bq m - 2 h - 1 , respectively. In sample 14, radon concentrations were within the suggested range of 200–600  Bq m - 3 , and the radon exhalation rate was well below the global average of 57.600  Bq m - 2 h - 1 . In addition, parameters related to potential radiological hazards were calculated for cement samples, the average annual effective dose indoor and outdoor were 3.49 and 1.31  mSv y - 1 , so this study's value was within the global average limitations (1–5  mSv y - 1 ). Also, the excess lifetime cancer risk indoor and outdoor were 12.5 × 10 −3 and 4.69 × 10 −3 greater than the world value of 0.29 × 10 −3 .

In this study geogenic radon potential (GRP) mapping was carried out on the bases of field radon in soil gas concentration and soil gas permeability measurements by considering the corresponding geological formations. The spatial pattern of soil gas radon concentration, soil permeability, and GRP and the relationship between geological formations and these parameters was studied by performing detailed spatial analysis. The radon activity concentration in soil gas ranged from 0.11 to 434.5 kBq m −3 with a mean of 18.96 kBq m −3 , and a standard deviation was 55.38 kBq m −3 . The soil gas permeability ranged from 5.2×10 −14 to 5.2×10 −12 m 2 , with a mean of 5.65×10 −13 m 2 . The GRP values were computed from the 222 Rn activity concentration and soil gas permeability data. The range of GRP values was from 0.04 to 154.08. Locations on igneous granite rock geology were characterized by higher soil radon gas activity and higher GRP, making them radon-prone areas according to international standards. The other study locations fall between the low to medium risk, except for areas with high soil permeability, which are not internationally classified as radon prone. A GRP map was created displaying radon-prone areas for the study location using Kriging/Cokriging, based on in situ and predicted measured values. The GRP map assists in human health risk assessment and risk reduction since it indicates the potential of the source of radon and can serve as a vital tool for radon combat planning.

Radon is present in most groundwater hosted by geological formations rich in uranium. It is a gas that dissolves easily in water, poses a potential health risk when present in water used in homes. For this purpose, an exploring study of radon concentration in groundwater was conducted in three selected areas in Morocco (the Anti-Atlas, the High Atlas and the Bahira areas) using RAD-7 detector. The radon contents measured in the 34 groundwater samples, range from 0.36 to 577.1 Bq L − 1 , with average of 52.99 Bq L − 1 . Among them, only three samples exceed the accepted limit of 100 Bq L − 1 , established by the world health organization and the European Commission. Considering the level recommended by U.S. environmental protection agency, 67.64% of the samples measured had concentrations greater than 11.1 Bq L − 1 . These results indicate significantly higher 222 Rn concentrations in the groundwater of the Anti-Atlas compared to the High Atlas and occidental Meseta. This disparity could be attributed to the variation in lithology between these three different regions, as the granites are mainly the primary sources of radon in the region. The obtained annual effective doses show values ranging from 0 mSv y − 1 to 2.10 mSv y − 1 for the three regions, with samples in the Anti-Atlas and Bahira exceeding the safety limit of 0.1 mSv y − 1 proposed by both the WHO and the European Commission. This exploring study is important for both the environment and human health since it can provide important information for radon-related regulations and programs.

This study uses CR-39 radon detectors to examine radon distributions, seasonal indoor radon variations, correction factors, and the influence of building materials and characteristics on indoor radon concentration in 120 dwellings. The study also determines the spatial distribution of radon levels using the ArcGIS geostatistical method. Radon detectors were exposed in bedrooms from April to July (R S ), August to November (D S ); December to March (H S ), and January-December (Y S ) from 2021 to 2022. The result for the radon levels during the weather seasons were; 32.3 to 190.1 Bqm -3 (80.9 ± 3.2 Bq/m 3 ) for (R S ), 30.8 to 151.4 Bqm -3 (68.5 ± 2.7 Bqm -3 ) for H S and 24.8 to 112.9 Bqm -3 (61.7 ± 2.1 Bqm -3 ) for D S , and 25.2 to 145.2 Bq/m 3 (69.4 ± 2.7 Bqm -3 ). The arithmetic mean for April to July season was greater than August to November. The correction factors associated with this study ranged from 0.9 to 1.2. The annual effective dose (A E ) associated with radon data was varied from 0.6 to 4.04 mSv/y (1.8 ± 0.1 mSv/y). The April to July period which was characterized by rains recorded the highest correlation coefficient and indoor radon concentration. Distribution and radon mapping revealed radon that the exposure to the occupant is non-uniformly spread across the studied dwellings. 15.4% of the studied data exceeded WHO reference values of 100 Bq/m 3 . The seasonal variation, dwelling age, and building materials were observed to have a substantial impact on the levels of radon concentration within the buildings.