Room model based Monte Carlo simulation study of the relationship between the airborne dose rate and the surface-deposited radon progeny

Health Phys. 2010 Jan;98(1):29-36. doi: 10.1097/HP.0b013e3181b8cf92.

Abstract

The quantitative relationships between radon gas concentration, the surface-deposited activities of various radon progeny, the airborne radon progeny dose rate, and various residential environmental factors were investigated through a Monte Carlo simulation study based on the extended Jacobi room model. Airborne dose rates were calculated from the unattached and attached potential alpha-energy concentrations (PAECs) using two dosimetric models. Surface-deposited (218)Po and (214)Po were significantly correlated with radon concentration, PAECs, and airborne dose rate (p-values <0.0001) in both non-smoking and smoking environments. However, in non-smoking environments, the deposited radon progeny were not highly correlated to the attached PAEC. In multiple linear regression analysis, natural logarithm transformation was performed for airborne dose rate as a dependent variable, as well as for radon and deposited (218)Po and (214)Po as predictors. In non-smoking environments, after adjusting for the effect of radon, deposited (214)Po was a significant positive predictor for one dose model (RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.27-1.67), while deposited (218)Po was a negative predictor for the other dose model (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83-0.98). In smoking environments, after adjusting for radon and room size, deposited (218)Po was a significant positive predictor for one dose model (RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.19), while a significant negative predictor for the other model (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.95). After adjusting for radon and deposited (218)Po, significant increases of 1.14 (95% CI 1.03-1.27) and 1.13 (95% CI 1.05-1.22) in the mean dose rates were found for large room sizes relative to small room sizes in the different dose models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive / adverse effects
  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / adverse effects
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
  • Housing
  • Humans
  • Iowa
  • Lung Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Lung Neoplasms / etiology
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / epidemiology
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / etiology
  • Polonium / adverse effects
  • Polonium / analysis
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiometry / statistics & numerical data
  • Radon Daughters / adverse effects
  • Radon Daughters / analysis*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Surface Properties
  • Ventilation

Substances

  • Air Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Radon Daughters
  • Polonium