5 research outputs found
Thoron emanation and exhalation of Slovenian soils determined by a PIC detector-equipped radon monitor
The health risk from thoron (Rn-220) is usually ignored owing to its short half-life (55.6 s), but the
generated thoron decay products can cause a significant dose contribution. In this study, altogether 51 Slovenian
soil samples were investigated using an accumulation chamber technique to obtain information about thoron
exhalation features. The obtained (massic) thoron exhalation results varied between 6.9 and 149 mBq•kg–1•s–1
(average: 55.2 mBq•kg –1•s–1). The Th-232 content was determined using HPGe gamma spectrometry. The
Th-232 activity concentration ranged between 9.3 and 161.7 Bq•kg–1 (average: 64.6 Bq•kg –1). The thoron emanation
features were also calculated from the obtained results (2.9 to 21.2% with an average of 8.6%). The thoron
exhalation and emanation properties were compared with the radon exhalation and emanation features determined
in a previous study. It was found that there was no correlation between the radon and thoron emanation features,
according to the obtained data. This can be explained by the different Ra-224 and Ra-226 distributions in the
soil grains. As a result, the thoron emanation factor cannot be predicted from radon emanation and vice versa
Thoron emanation and exhalation of Slovenian soils determined by a PIC detector-equipped radon monitor
The health risk from thoron (Rn-220) is usually ignored owing to its short half-life (55.6 s), but the
generated thoron decay products can cause a significant dose contribution. In this study, altogether 51 Slovenian
soil samples were investigated using an accumulation chamber technique to obtain information about thoron
exhalation features. The obtained (massic) thoron exhalation results varied between 6.9 and 149 mBq•kg–1•s–1
(average: 55.2 mBq•kg –1•s–1). The Th-232 content was determined using HPGe gamma spectrometry. The
Th-232 activity concentration ranged between 9.3 and 161.7 Bq•kg–1 (average: 64.6 Bq•kg –1). The thoron emanation
features were also calculated from the obtained results (2.9 to 21.2% with an average of 8.6%). The thoron
exhalation and emanation properties were compared with the radon exhalation and emanation features determined
in a previous study. It was found that there was no correlation between the radon and thoron emanation features,
according to the obtained data. This can be explained by the different Ra-224 and Ra-226 distributions in the
soil grains. As a result, the thoron emanation factor cannot be predicted from radon emanation and vice versa