Assessment of radon equilibrium factor from distribution parameters of simultaneous radon and radon progeny measurements

In Canada, a radon and radon progeny survey was carried out in the 1970s in 19 cities. To the authors' knowledge, this is the only large survey of simultaneous radon and radon progeny measurements up to the present time. However, the survey was carried out for the purpose of establishing geographic variation of radon and radon progeny; therefore, radon equilibrium factors, F, were not assessed at that time. From the summary results of this large simultaneous radon and radon progeny survey, the characteristics of radon equilibrium factor were assessed. The average F factor assessed from this survey in 12,576 houses is 0.54. The current assessment may indicate that the typical F value of 0.4 recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), and the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) could lead to a downward bias in the estimation of radon doses to the lung.