Award Date
1-1-2000
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences
First Committee Member
Mark J. Rudin
Number of Pages
116
Abstract
The radon concentrations within fiber crete and the native material from the U1a Complex at the Nevada Tests Site, Nye County, Nevada, were quantified and compared to each other. Gamma spectroscopy measurements resulted in an average 222Rn concentration to be 0.038 +/- 0.0011 and 0.014 +/- 0.001 Bq g-1 for the native material and fiber crete, respectively. The emanation of 222Rn from the host material was measured via lucas cell scintillation. The average emanation coefficients were significantly higher for the cured fiber crete at 0.07 than for the native material at 0.005. While the cured fiber crete emanation coefficients matched the expected literature values, the coefficient for the native material measured much lower than its expected literature value. Exhalation rates, the amount of radon gas that actually diffuses from the soil gas to the ambient air, were sampled with passive diffusion charcoal canisters. Results, measured by gamma spectroscopy, indicate the average exhalation rate for the native material surfaces was 0.0021 +/- 0.0002 Bq cm -2 hr-1; much higher than that for the fiber crete surface at 0.00099 +/- 0.00025 Bq cm-2 hr-1.
Keywords
Airborne; Concentrations; Construction; Contribution; Facility; Material; Radon; Underground
Controlled Subject
Radiation; Nuclear physics; Public health
File Format
File Size
2672.64 KB
Degree Grantor
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Language
English
Permissions
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Repository Citation
Brounstein, Robert Arthur, "The contribution of construction materials to the airborne radon concentrations in an underground facility" (2000). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1231.
http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/qred-9pea
Rights
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