Direct comparison of three methods for the determination of radon in well water

• Published in: Health physics (1958) Vol. 70; no. 3; p. 358
• Main Authors: Kitto, M E, Kuhland, M K, Dansereau, R E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-03-1996
• Subjects: Evaluation Studies as Topic; Humans; New York; Radiation Monitoring - instrumentation; Radiation Monitoring - methods; Radon - adverse effects; Radon - analysis; Scintillation Counting - instrumentation; Scintillation Counting - methods; Water Pollutants, Radioactive - adverse effects; Water Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Water Supply - analysis; New York
• ISSN: 0017-9078
• DOI: 10.1097/00004032-199603000-00005

Radon concentrations obtained using a bubbler device developed to collect and bubble water samples in the laboratory and field were compared with results from conventional liquid scintillation counting. Measurements from standard solutions with a wide concentration range showed excellent agreement between liquid scintillation and results obtained using the bubbler device in conjunction with alpha-scintillation cells. Measurements of waterborne radon concentrations in 110 community and private wells in New York State ranged from 1 to 4,100 Bq L-1, with arithmetic and geometric means of 200 and 30 Bq L-1, respectively. Excellent agreement between the analytical techniques was obtained for each field site.