Contribution of (222)Rn-bearing water to indoor radon and indoor air quality assessment in hot spring hotels of Guangdong, China. 2011

Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China. songg2005@126.com

This study investigates the contribution of radon ((222)Rn)-bearing water to indoor (222)Rn in thermal baths. The (222)Rn concentrations in air were monitored in the bathroom and the bedroom. Particulate matter (PM, both PM(10) and PM(2.5)) and carbon dioxide (CO(2)) were also monitored with portable analyzers. The bathrooms were supplied with hot spring water containing 66-260 kBq m(-3) of (222)Rn. The results show that the spray of hot spring water from the bath spouts is the dominant mechanism by which (222)Rn is released into the air of the bathroom, and then it diffuses into the bedroom. Average (222)Rn level was 110-410% higher in the bedrooms and 510-1200% higher in the bathrooms compared to the corresponding average levels when there was no use of hot spring water. The indoor (222)Rn levels were influenced by the (222)Rn concentrations in the hot spring water and the bathing times. The average (222)Rn transfer coefficients from water to air were 6.2 × 10(-4)-4.1 × 10(-3). The 24-h average levels of CO(2) and PM(10) in the hotel rooms were 89% and 22% higher than the present Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) standard of China. The main particle pollutant in the hotel rooms was PM(2.5). Radon and PM(10) levels in some hotel rooms were at much higher concentrations than guideline levels, and thus the potential health risks to tourists and especially to the hotel workers should be of great concern, and measures should be taken to lower inhalation exposure to these air pollutants.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011886 Radon A naturally radioactive element with atomic symbol Rn, and atomic number 86. It is a member of the noble gas family found in soil, and is released during the decay of RADIUM. Actinon,Thoron (Element)
D002681 China A country spanning from central Asia to the Pacific Ocean. Inner Mongolia,Manchuria,People's Republic of China,Sinkiang,Mainland China
D006798 Housing Living facilities for humans. Family-Patient Lodging,Patient-Family Lodging,Family Patient Lodging,Family-Patient Lodgings,Lodging, Family-Patient,Lodging, Patient-Family,Lodgings, Family-Patient,Lodgings, Patient-Family,Patient Family Lodging,Patient-Family Lodgings
D000396 Air Pollutants, Radioactive Pollutants present in air which exhibit radioactivity. Radioactive Air Pollutants,Pollutants, Radioactive Air
D001494 Baths The immersion or washing of the body or any of its parts in water or other medium for cleansing or medical treatment. It includes bathing for personal hygiene as well as for medical purposes with the addition of therapeutic agents, such as alkalines, antiseptics, oil, etc. Bath
D012588 Scintillation Counting Detection and counting of scintillations produced in a fluorescent material by ionizing radiation. Scintillation Counters,Counter, Scintillation,Counters, Scintillation,Counting, Scintillation,Scintillation Counter
D014875 Water Pollutants, Radioactive Pollutants, present in water or bodies of water, which exhibit radioactivity. Pollutants, Radioactive Water,Radioactive Water Pollutants
D016902 Air Pollution, Indoor The contamination of indoor air. Air Quality, Indoor,Indoor Air Pollution,Indoor Air Quality,Pollution, Indoor Air
D045482 Hot Springs Habitat of hot water naturally heated by underlying geologic processes. Surface hot springs have been used for BALNEOLOGY. Underwater hot springs are called HYDROTHERMAL VENTS. Geothermal Springs,Warm Springs,Geothermal Spring,Hot Spring,Spring, Geothermal,Spring, Hot,Spring, Warm,Springs, Geothermal,Springs, Hot,Springs, Warm,Warm Spring

Related Publications

Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
July 2004, Environment international,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
August 2012, Journal of environmental radioactivity,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
February 2002, The Science of the total environment,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
December 1992, Environmental geochemistry and health,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
January 2021, International journal of environmental research and public health,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
May 2005, Journal of environmental health,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
March 2022, Radiation and environmental biophysics,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
August 2012, Radiation protection dosimetry,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
February 2018, Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine,
Gang Song, and Xinming Wang, and Diyun Chen, and Yongheng Chen
May 2009, Environmental monitoring and assessment,
Copied contents to your clipboard!