Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Long-Term Impacts ofWeather Conditions on Indoor Radon Concentration Measurements in Switzerland

Published inAtmosphere
First online date2022-01-07
Abstract

Radon is a natural and radioactive gas that can accumulate in indoor environments. Indoor radon concentration (IRC) is influenced, among other factors, by meteorology, which is the subject of this paper. Weather parameters impact indoor radon levels and have already been investigated, but rarely in Switzerland. Moreover, there is a strong need for a better understanding of the radon behaviour inside buildings in Switzerland for public health concerns as Switzerland is a radon prone area. Based on long-term, continuous, and hourly radon measurements, radon distributions classified according to different weather event definitions were investigated and then compared at three different study sites in Western Switzerland. Outdoor temperature influences the most indoor radon, and it is globally anti-correlated. Wind influences indoor radon, but it strongly depends on intensity, direction, and building characteristics. Precipitation influences periodically indoor radon levels relatively to their intensity. Atmospheric pressure and relative humidity do not seem to be huge determinants on IRC. Our results are in line with previous findings and provide a vivid example in Western Switzerland. This paper underlines the different influence complexities of radon, and the need to communicate about it within the broader public and with construction professionals, to raise awareness.

Keywords
  • Radon
  • Indoor radon levels
  • Meteorological parameters
  • Switzerland
  • Jura mountains
  • Public health concern
Research groups
Citation (ISO format)
REY, Joan Frédéric et al. Long-Term Impacts ofWeather Conditions on Indoor Radon Concentration Measurements in Switzerland. In: Atmosphere, 2022. doi: 10.3390/atmos13010092
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
accessLevelPublic
Identifiers
Journal ISSN2073-4433
233views
297downloads

Technical informations

Creation07/01/2022 11:19:00
First validation07/01/2022 11:19:00
Update16/03/2023 02:19:18
Status update16/03/2023 02:19:17
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