Identifying the Presence of Natural Radionuclides in Ashlar Samples

Humans have always been exposed to different types of natural and cosmic radiation. At present we experience 83 % natural radiation, for example from granite marbles, building materials such as concrete, brick, granite, or drywall. However, although these are potential sources of radon, they are rarely the cause of a high level of pollution in a building.Ashlar is a material of volcanic origin comprising heterogeneous and solidified detrital pyroclastic materials such as rhyolite, sand, volcanic ash and pumice, among others. Chemically, ashlar is principally composed of elements such as sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, aluminum, sulfur, and cobalt. In order to identify the presence of these elements in the ashlar, X-ray Fluorescence studies were carried out first, using modern XRD and XRF equipment, followed by quantitative analysis using a neutron activation technique, and finally, low-level gamma spectrometry to evaluate the presence of radioactive elements

A new methodology for defining radon priority areas in spain

One of the requirements of EU-BSS (European Basic Safety Standards) is the design and implementation of a National Radon Action Plan in the member states. This should define, as accurately as possible, areas of risk for the presence of radon gas (222Rn) in homes and workplaces. The concept used by the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), the body responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection in Spain, to identify "radon priority areas" is that of radon potential. This paper establishes a different methodology from that used by the CSN, using the same study variables (indoor radon measurements, gamma radiation exposure data, and geological information) to prepare a radon potential map that improves the definition of the areas potentially exposed to radon in Spain. The main advantage of this methodology is that by using simple data processing the definition of these areas is improved. In addition, the application of this methodology can improve the delimitation of radon priority areas and can be applied within the cartographic system used by the European Commission-Joint Research Center (EC-JRC) in the representation of different environmental parameters

Generic utilities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients stratified according to different staging systems.

Background To determine generic utilities for Spanish chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients stratified by different classifications: GOLD 2007, GOLD 2013, GesEPOC 2012 and BODEx index. Methods Multicentre, observational, cross-sectional study. Patients were aged ≥40 years, with spirometrically confirmed COPD. Utility values were derived from EQ-5D-3 L. Means, standard deviations (SD), medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) were computed based on the different classifications. Differences in median utilities between groups were assessed by non-parametric tests. Results 346 patients were included, of which 85.5% were male with a mean age of 67.9 (SD = 9.7) years and a mean duration of COPD of 7.6 (SD = 5.8) years; 80.3% were ex-smokers and the mean smoking history was 54.2 (SD = 33.2) pack-years. Median utilities (IQR) by GOLD 2007 were 0.87 (0.22) for moderate; 0.80 (0.26) for severe and 0.67 (0.42) for very-severe patients (p 2: 0.89 (0.20); group 34: 0.80 (0.27); group 56: 0.67 (0.29); group 79: 0.41 (0.31). All comparisons were significant (p 4 and 56. Conclusion Irrespective of the classification used utilities were associated to disease severity. Some clinical phenotypes were associated with worse utilities, probably related to a higher frequency of exacerbations. GOLD 2007 guidelines and BODEx index better discriminated patients with a worse health status than GOLD 2013 guidelines, while GOLD 2013 guidelines were better able to identify a smaller group of patients with the best health

Intercomparison of Indoor Radon Measurements Under Field Conditions In the Framework of MetroRADON European Project

Interlaboratory comparisons are a basic part of the regular quality controls of laboratories to warranty the adequate performance of test and measurements. The exercise presented in this article is the comparison of indoor radon gas measurements under field conditions performed with passive detectors and active monitors carried out in the Laboratory of Natural Radiation (LNR). The aim is to provide a direct comparison between different methodologies and to identify physical reasons for possible inconsistencies, particularly related to sampling and measurement techniques. The variation of radon concentration during the comparison showed a big range of values, with levels from approximately 0.5 to 30 kBq/m3. The reference values for the two exposure periods have been derived from a weighted average of participants' results applying an iterative algorithm. The indexes used to analyze the participants' results were the relative percentage difference D(%), the Zeta score ( ? ), and the z-score ( z ). Over 80% of the results for radon in air exposure are within the interval defined by the reference value and 20% and 10% for the first and the second exposure, respectively. Most deviations were detected with the overestimating of the exposure using passive detectors due to the related degassing time of detector holder materials.This research was funded by the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR), JRP‐Contract 16ENV10 MetroRADON (http://www.euramet.org). The EMPIR initiative is co‐funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the EMPIR Participating States

The Laboratory of Natural Radiation (LNR) - a place to test radon instruments under variable conditions of radon concentration and climatic variables

The publication of the new European Union Basic Safety Standards represents a remarkable milestone in the fi eld of radiological protection in terms of adding radon exposure to this framework. Therefore, the coming years will bring the need to measure radon not only in the workplaces but also in the living spaces as a direct outcome of the application of the new EU Directive. So, the importance of having reliable instruments is evident and interlaboratory exercises are becoming more and more popular. However, most of them are carried out under constant conditions of meteorological variables. We present in this paper a facility to broaden the interlaboratory comparisons further by adding the study of radon exposures under real conditions of changes in climatic parameters. In addition, the facility has the possibility to verify the response of radon monitors when the radon concentration changes several orders of magnitude in a short period of time. Our work shows some results of one of the interlaboratory exercises carried out in the premises, where the radon levels were rather homogeneous in the testing room

Methodological Approaches to Radon in Water Measurements: Comparative Experiences between Romania and Spain

The EC Directive 2013/51/EURATOM of 22 October 2013 represents the first time that a radon limit for drinking water has been proposed. Transposition of this Directive into Spanish legislation was by means of the recent RD 314/2016 which sets a limit value of 500 Bq l?1 for radon (222Rn) in water for human consumption while that in Romanian legislation the Law 301/2015 provides a limit value of 100 Bq l-1 for 222Rn concentration in water for human consumption as well as a total effective dose of 0.1 mSv y-1 from all radionuclides present in water (same dose value established by Spanish law). For several years, both in Romania and in Spain, there have been campaigns to measure the concentration of 222Rn in waters of different origins in order to determine the possible exposure of the population through this irradiation path, and also to use the presence of radon dissolved in water as a source of indoor radon in thermal spa facilities, and also as a tracer of dynamic processes (C. Sainy et al., Sci. Tot. Envir. 543, 460 (2016); 1). In this article, an assessment of the results from measurement campaigns in both countries will be presented and compared. In addition, the different measurement techniques used will be described, and the description of an intercomparison exercise on radon measurement in water organized by the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory of the University of Cantabria (LaRUC) will be presented, in order to evaluate the quality of the performance of the techniques used.This work was partially supported by the project ID P_37_229, Contract No. 22/01.09.2016, with the title Smart Systems for Public Safety through Control and Mitigation of Residential Radon linked with Energy Efficiency Optimization of Buildings in Romanian Major Urban Agglomerations SMART-RAD-EN of the POC Programme

Variations in radon dosimetry under different assessment approaches in the Altamira Cave

The atmosphere of caves is a special environment where it is necessary to take into account some particular characteristics when assessing the radon dose. The equilibrium factor (F) between radon and its progeny, and especially its unattached fraction ( fp), is a key parameter in radon dose evaluation. In order to consider the specific features of the atmosphere in the Altamira Cave, the radon and particle concentrations have been measured. The mean annual radon concentration inside the cave over the period 2013?2019 is around 3500 Bq m?3 with a standard deviation of 1833 Bq m?3 and this exhibits seasonal variations. This value surpasses all international (WHO, IAEA, ICRP) upper action and reference levels (occupational and non-occupational). Dose rate levels expressed in ?Sv h?1 were estimated for four different equilibrium scenarios between radon and its progeny 218Po, 214Pb, 214Bi and 214Po. The most recent dose conversion factors have been used and the contribution made to the dose by the unattached fraction of radon progeny fp has been also assessed from the particle concentration. The results suggest that the mean annual dose levels show variations of up to 500% due to the range of F and the fp considered in this study. Given the high radon concentrations usually found in show caves, the best way to reduce this variability and its associated uncertainty in dose assessment is to conduct specific studies aimed at determining both F and fp.This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain (MECD) (grant number J180052) under the Project ‘Servicio de control y seguimiento de las condiciones ambientales y del biodeterioro de la Cueva de Altamira’, and The Cantabrian International Institute for Prehistoric Research (IIIPC)

E-cigarettes : effects in phagocytosis and cytokines response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Cigarette smoking and tuberculosis are a significant cause of death worldwide. Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated cigarette smoking is a risk factor for tuberculosis. Electronic cigarettes have recently appeared as a healthier alternative to conventional smoking, although their impact in tuberculosis is not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of electronic cigarettes in phagocytosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and cytokines production. In vitro infection was carried out by exposing THP-1 macrophages to four electronic vapor extracts and the intracellular burden of M. tuberculosis was determined. The percentage of infection was evaluated by confocal microscopy and the cytokine production by Luminex. A reduction of intracellular M. tuberculosis burden in THP- 1 macrophages was found after its exposure to electronic vapor extract; the same trend was observed by confocal microscopy when Mycobacterium bovis BCG-GFP strain was used. Electronic cigarettes stimulate a pro-inflammatory cytokine response. We conclude that electronic cigarettes impair the phagocytic function and the cytokine response to M. tuberculosis

Comparison of radon mapping methods for the delineation of radon priority areas - an exercise

Background: Many different methods are applied for radon mapping depending on the purpose of the map and the data that are available. In addition, the definitions of radon priority areas (RPA) in EU Member States, as requested in the new European EURATOM BSS (1), are diverse. Objective: 1) Comparison of methods for mapping geogenic and indoor radon, 2) the possible transferability of a mapping method developed in one region to other regions and 3) the evaluation of the impact of different mapping methods on the delineation of RPAs. Design: Different mapping methods and several RPA definitions were applied to the same data sets from six municipalities in Austria and Cantabria, Spain. Results: Some mapping methods revealed a satisfying degree of agreement, but relevant differences were also observed. The chosen threshold for RPA classification has a major impact, depending on the level of radon concentration in the area. The resulting maps were compared regarding the spatial estimates and the delineation of RPAs. Conclusions: Not every mapping method is suitable for every available data set. Data robustness and harmonisation are the main requirements, especially if the used data set is not designed for a specific technique. Different mapping methods often deliver similar results in RPA classification. The definition of thresholds for the classification and delineation of RPAs is a guidance factor in the mapping process and is as relevant as harmonising mapping methods depending on the radon levels in the area.Funding: This work is supported by the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR), JRPContract 16ENV10 MetroRADON (www.euramet.com). The EMPIR initiative is co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the EMPIR Participating States

Spanish experience on the design of radon surveys based on the use of geogenic information

One of the requirements of the recently approved EU-BSS (European Basic Safety Standards Directive, EURATOM, 2013) is the design and implementation of national radon action plans in the member states (Annex XVIII). Such plans require radon surveys. The analysis of indoor radon data is supported by the existing knowledge about geogenic radiation. With this aim, we used the terrestrial gamma dose rate data from the MARNA project. In addition, we considered other criterion regarding the surface of Spain, population, permeability of rocks, uranium and radium contain in soils because currently no data are available related to soil radon gas concentration and permeability in Spain. Given that, a Spanish radon map was produced which will be part of the European Indoor Radon Map and a component of the European Atlas of Natural Radiation. The map indicates geographical areas with high probability of finding high indoor radon concentrations. This information will support legislation regarding prevention of radon entry both in dwellings and workplaces. In addition, the map will serve as a tool for the development of strategies at all levels: individual dwellings, local, regional and national administration