A Noticeable Change in Indoor Radon Levels After Platform Screen Doors Installation in Seoul Subway Station

Platform screen doors (PSD) installed at 289 stations in Seoul metropolitan subway from November 2005 to December 2009, are expected to prevent death from a fall and improve air quality. In this study, we systematically surveyed changes in radon concentrations before and after PSD installation in Seoul metropolitan subway stations. By solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD), the radon concentrations before and after the PSD installation were measured at 54 stations of 6 lines from 2 to 7 reported to have relatively high radon concentrations. Mean radon concentrations at platforms were decreased by approximately 56% from 121.7 Bq/m(3) to 54.0 Bq/m(3). Before PSD installation, mean radon concentrations were in the decreasing order for subway lines 7, 5, 6, 3, 4 and 2. On the other hand, after PSD installation the order was changed to 5, 6, 7, 3, 4 and 2. According to a radon map of Seoul metropolitan subway, the number of platforms where radon concentration over was 74 Bq/m(3) decreased from 38 to 12 after PSD installation.