The data collected at Montemalaga Elementary School are presented here. Figure 1 is a schematic of the school site that shows the rooms that were tested for indoor radon colored according to the amount of radon in the rooms. Figure 1 also show the approximate locations of the sites where field gamma-ray measurements were made. Table 1 lists the results of the field gamma-ray measurements. Samples of the top five inches of soil were collected at two of the gamma-ray sites and Table 2 lists the results of analyses of those samples.
Table 3 lists the results of the indoor radon measurements. Some of the measurements were intended to identify the places where radon enters the classrooms. Detectors were placed in cabinets, beneath sinks, and near wall heaters. Although the results for these specially placed detectors are not completely consistent, some of the measured radon levels are significantly higher than the levels measured in the center of the rooms. For example, 40 pCi/L under a sink in classroom 5 versus 3.7 pCi/L in the center of the room and 57 pCi/L versus 10.7 pCi/L in classroom 18. These results indicate that significant amounts of the radon in at least some of the classrooms enters via openings associated with various plumbing fixtures.
Figure 1. Schematic of rooms at Montemalaga Elementary School showing indoor radon levels and sites at which gamma-ray measurements were made.
Table 1. Results of gamma-ray spectrometer measurements at Montemalaga Elementary School. Site locations are indicated in Figure 1 (e.g. location number 1 refers to MEP1). The column labeled "Group" identifies the group to which the measurement was assigned as a result of classification of the gamma-ray data.
|
Location |
K |
eU |
eTh |
Group |
Latitude |
Longitude |
|
|
(%) |
(ppm) |
(ppm) |
|
(degrees) |
(degrees) |
|
MEP1 |
1.4 |
7.8 |
4.4 |
2 |
33.7907 |
-118.3939 |
|
MEP2 |
0.9 |
10.4 |
2.6 |
2 |
33.7906 |
-118.3941 |
|
MEP3 |
1.5 |
6.4 |
3.6 |
2 |
33.7910 |
-118.3945 |
|
MEP4 |
0.9 |
10.6 |
3.2 |
4 |
33.7907 |
-118.3945 |
|
MEP5 |
1.5 |
7.6 |
4.9 |
2 |
33.7912 |
-118.3945 |
|
MEP6 |
0.7 |
12.1 |
1.9 |
4 |
33.7910 |
-118.3947 |
|
MEP8 |
1.8 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
3 |
33.7900 |
-118.3944 |
|
MEP9* |
1.8 |
15.3 |
5.1 |
4 |
33.7912 |
-118.3945 |
|
MEP10* |
1.3 |
9.7 |
3.7 |
4 |
33.7913 |
-118.3948 |
|
MEP11* |
1.5 |
9.9 |
4.3 |
4 |
33.7910 |
-118.3949 |
|
MEP12* |
1.4 |
12.3 |
4.8 |
4 |
33.7909 |
-118.3946 |
|
MEP13* |
1.4 |
10.9 |
4.5 |
4 |
33.7907 |
-118.3948 |
|
MEP14* |
1.7 |
14.7 |
4.1 |
4 |
33.7909 |
-118.3945 |
|
MEP15* |
1.1 |
15.1 |
3.8 |
4 |
33.7907 |
-118.3944 |
|
MEP16* |
1.3 |
6.4 |
3.3 |
2 |
33.7910 |
-118.3932 |
|
MEP17* |
2.7 |
3.8 |
6.1 |
3 |
33.7913 |
-118.3946 |
* Measurements at locations 9 - 17 were done with the gamma-ray detector sitting on the ground surface.
Table 2. Results of laboratory measurements of soil samples. The K, eU, and eTh concentrations were determined by a laboratory gamma-ray spectrometer and the field results are presented for comparison. Radon emanation fraction was determined as discussed in the section on methodologies.
|
Location |
Laboratory |
Field Spectrometer |
Radon |
Latitude |
Longitude | ||||
|
|
K |
eU |
eTh |
K |
eU |
eTh |
Eman. |
(degrees) |
(degrees) |
|
|
(%) |
(ppm) |
(ppm) |
(%) |
(ppm) |
(ppm) |
|
|
|
|
MEP2 |
0.7 |
12.8 |
3.2 |
0.9 |
10.4 |
2.6 |
0.33 |
33.7906 |
-118.3941 |
|
MEP6 |
0.6 |
13.7 |
3.0 |
0.7 |
12.1 |
1.9 |
0.15 |
33.7910 |
-118.3947 |
|
MEP6R* |
0.5 |
10.2 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
12.1 |
1.9 |
0.16 |
33.7910 |
-118.3947 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bulk Density (g/cc) |
Water Content |
Porosity |
|
|
| |||
|
MEP2 |
0.77 |
29.3% |
0.71 |
|
|
| |||
|
MEP6 |
0.80 |
27.3% |
0.70 |
|
|
| |||
* Sample consists of rock chips gathered at location MEP6.
Table 3. Results of indoor radon measurements in classrooms. Room numbers followed by the letters CAB indicate that the detector was placed inside a cabinet. The letter "S" indicates that the detector was placed inside the enclosure beneath a sink. The letter "H" indicates that the detector was placed near a wall heater.
|
Room |
Radon |
Start |
Stop |
||
|
Number |
(pCi/L) |
Date |
Time |
Date |
Time |
|
Blank |
0.2 |
16-Mar-03 |
21:11 |
18-Mar-03 |
21:11 |
|
Blank |
0.2 |
28-Mar-03 |
18:04 |
30-Mar-03 |
18:04 |
|
1 |
2.5 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:44 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:16 |
|
1 |
1.6 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:58 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:39 |
|
2 |
0.7 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:45 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:17 |
|
2 |
1.4 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:56 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:37 |
|
2 |
1.2 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:57 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:37 |
|
3 |
0.6 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:48 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:20 |
|
3 |
1.5 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:54 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:35 |
|
4 |
1.6 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:47 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:19 |
|
4 |
1.8 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:53 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:34 |
|
5 |
13.3 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:49 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:22 |
|
5 |
3.7 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:19 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:08 |
|
5CAB |
4.8 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:21 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:09 |
|
5S |
40.4 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:21 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:08 |
|
6 |
0.2 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:51 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:23 |
|
6 |
0.3 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:51 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:32 |
|
7 |
1.3 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:10 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:25 |
|
7 |
1.3 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:50 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:30 |
|
8 |
16.3 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:53 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:26 |
|
8 |
4.9 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:24 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:12 |
|
8CAB |
7.4 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:25 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:12 |
|
8S |
11.6 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:25 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:12 |
|
9 |
10.3 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:54 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:27 |
|
9 |
4.6 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:27 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:13 |
|
9CAB |
3.3 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:29 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:14 |
|
9S |
17.1 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:28 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:14 |
|
10 |
3.5 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:55 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:28 |
|
10 |
3.5 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:55 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:28 |
|
10 |
2.4 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:48 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:29 |
|
11 |
4.2 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:00 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:33 |
|
11 |
2.5 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:46 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:27 |
|
12 |
10.0 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:58 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:30 |
|
12 |
4.5 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:31 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:16 |
|
12CAB |
8.2 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:33 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:17 |
|
12S |
6.5 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:32 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:16 |
|
13 |
3.6 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:01 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:34 |
|
13 |
3.4 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:44 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:26 |
|
14 |
3.1 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:03 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:35 |
|
14 |
2.3 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:44 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:25 |
|
15 |
4.5 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:04 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:36 |
|
15 |
2.4 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:42 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:24 |
|
16 |
8.8 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:07 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:38 |
|
16 |
4.6 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:40 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:22 |
|
17 |
3.8 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:06 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:39 |
|
17 |
2.3 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:39 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:21 |
|
18 |
14.9 |
14-Mar-03 |
17:05 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:40 |
|
18 |
10.7 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:35 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:19 |
|
18H |
57.4 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:38 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:20 |
|
18S |
54.7 |
28-Mar-03 |
16:36 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:19 |
|
blank |
0.2 |
28-Mar-03 |
18:01 |
30-Mar-03 |
18:01 |
|
K-1 |
3.2 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:40 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:12 |
|
K-1 |
1.3 |
28-Mar-03 |
17:01 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:41 |
|
K-1 |
1.7 |
28-Mar-03 |
17:01 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:41 |
|
K-2 |
1.0 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:42 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:13 |
|
K-2 |
1.2 |
14-Mar-03 |
16:42 |
16-Mar-03 |
16:13 |
|
K-2 |
1.1 |
28-Mar-03 |
17:02 |
30-Mar-03 |
16:42 |
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