A prospective assessment of the 210Po surface collection for estimating 222Rn exposure

Previous studies have examined the utility of measuring the embedded Po-210 in solid materials as an indicator of long-term Rn-222 exposure. However, in those studies, existing surfaces were employed. In this prospective study, pairs of glass surfaces were placed in homes around the United States along with an LR-115-II-etched track radon detector for each piece of glass. A subset of these glass samples has been analyzed for Po-210 activity, The results of measurements on a subset of samples are presented. The independent Rn-222 measurements are compared with the Po-210 measurements and a relationship is obtained between the two results using a model for the accumulation of activity within an enclosed space. The data are interpreted in terms of (a) the usefulness of the Po-210 measurements as a long-term Rn-222 detector and (b) the value of a new interpretation scheme to make retrospective assessments of the Rn-222 exposure within rooms. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.