Characteristics of Thoron ( 220 Rn) and Its Progeny in the Indoor Environment

Shinji Tokonami
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Shinji Tokonami: Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki 036-8564, Aomori, Japan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-19

Abstract: The present paper outlines characteristics of thoron and its progeny in the indoor environment. Since the half-life of thoron ( 220 Rn) is very short (55.6 s), its behavior is quite different from the isotope radon ( 222 Rn, half-life 3.8 days) in the environment. Analyses of radon and lung cancer risk have revealed a clearly positive relationship in epidemiological studies among miners and residents. However, there is no epidemiological evidence for thoron exposure causing lung cancer risk. In contrast to this, a dosimetric approach has been approved in the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 137, from which new dose conversion factors for radon and thoron progenies can be obtained. They are given as 16.8 and 107 nSv (Bq m −3 h) −1 , respectively. It implies that even a small quantity of thoron progeny will induce higher radiation exposure compared to radon. Thus, an interest in thoron exposure is increasing among the relevant scientific communities. As measurement technologies for thoron and its progeny have been developed, they are now readily available. This paper reviews measurement technologies, activity levels, dosimetry and resulting doses. Although thoron has been underestimated in the past, recent findings have revealed that reassessment of risks due to radon exposure may need to take the presence of thoron and its progeny into account.

Keywords: thoron; thoron progeny; indoor environment; measurement technique; radioactivity; dose assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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