A new analytical method for the determination of
222Rn in air was studied. The method was based on the separation and determination of daughter
214Bi which was in radioactive equilibium with
222Rn and the procedure was as follows. The air was sampled in a 5 liter round-bottomed flask, then 250 ml of Bi and Pb carrier solution adjusted to pH 1.0 with nitricacid was added, and the air-borne
214Pb and
214Bi, the daughter products of
222Rn, were absorbed in this solution by standing and shaking 5-6 times.
214Bi in the solution together with Bi carrier was extracted by shaking with 1% cupferon solution and chloroform, re-extracted with 25% sulfuric acid, and precipitated by the addition of 10% sodium sulfide solution. The precipitate was dried and radioactivity of
214Bi was measured with a low background gas-flow counter. The radioactivity of
222Rn can be calculated by the equations 1 and 2 shown below. [numerical formula] Where NBi is radioactivity (dpm) of
214Bi at the time of separation of
214Bi from
222Rn, t
1 is the time (min) from the separation to the beginning of measurement, t
2 is the time (min) from the separation to the end of measurement, f is the counting efficiency of
214Bi, and A is the total count of
214Bi in t
2-t
1. [numerical formula] Where NRn is the radioactivity (dpm) of
222Rn at the time of air sampling, t is the time (days) from the sampling to the separation of
214Bi. The sensibility of this method was 5×10
-12 Ci
222Rn/liter of air, so that this method would be available for the determination of
222Rn in air in places such as the bath room of radioactive spa where extraordinary high content of
222Rn is expected in air. Using the above method, determination of
222Rn content in air was carried out at Misasa and Masutomi spa areas where many natural radioactive fountains are distributed. The
222Rn concentration in outdoor air was very low in both spa areas, while the air in bath room showed high concentration of
222Rn in both spa areas. The mean value of
222Rn content in air of three bath room were 42×10
-12 Ci/liter at Misasa and 13×10
-11 Ci/liter at Masutomi. These
222Rn contents are 13 and 4 times higher, respectively, than 1/30 of the "maximum permissible concentration in air"for occupational exposure recommended by ICRP.
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