A new approach to radon temporal correction factor based on active environmental monitoring devices

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health Sciences
• Radiological Protection
• Indoor Air Quality

Background:

• Accurate estimation of annual indoor radon concentration is crucial for public health.
• Short-term radon measurements require temporal correction factors for reliable annual estimates.
• Existing methods for temporal correction factors may lack sufficient accuracy and reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify novel methods for enhancing the accuracy of estimated annual indoor radon concentration.
• To apply and evaluate temporal correction factors derived from short-term radon measurements.
• To investigate the influence of measurement duration and environmental factors on temporal correction factors.

Main Methods:

• Continuous, year-long indoor radon measurements were conducted in 71 Romanian homes using smart devices and CR-39 detectors.
• Temporal correction factors were calculated based on various measurement start months and durations.
• Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the association of temporal correction factors with CO2 levels and measurement timing.

Main Results:

• Measurements longer than 7 months yielded temporal correction factors with a low coefficient of variation (<10%).
• Shorter measurements (up to 4 months) showed higher variability in correction factors (up to 20%).
• Average temporal correction factors were positively associated with CO2 levels and the interaction between CO2 and measurement month; indoor-outdoor temperature differences had no significant impact.

Conclusions:

• Year-long radon monitoring and longer measurement durations significantly improve the accuracy of temporal correction factors.
• CO2 concentration is a key factor influencing temporal correction factors for indoor radon estimation.
• The findings provide a basis for developing new strategies to reduce uncertainties in annual indoor radon concentration assessments.