exhalation; radon; thoron; underground coal mine; Air Pollutants, Radioactive; Coal; Radon; Exhalation; Radon/analysis; Radiation Monitoring; Pollution; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Abstract :
[en] The objective of this work was to perform a series of measurements of radon and thoron exhalation in the underground workings of an experimental coal mine. In the years 2012-2015, experiments on underground coal gasification were carried out in a coal mine, which caused, among other effects, damage to rock mass. Afterward, periodic increases in the concentration of potential alpha energy (PAEC) of radon decay products in the air were found, which could pose a hazard to miners. The question posed was whether the gasification experiment resulted in the increased migration of radon and thoron. If so, did it increase the radiation hazard to miners? The adaptation of the existing instrumentation to the specific conditions was conducted, and a series of measurements were made. It was found that the measured values of radon and thoron exhalation rates ranged from 3.0 up to 38 Bq·m-2·h-1 for radon and from 500 up to 2000 Bq·m-2·h-1 for thoron.
Disciplines :
Physical, chemical, mathematical & earth Sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
Bonczyk, Michał ; Główny Instytut Górnictwa, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Chałupnik, Stanisław; Główny Instytut Górnictwa, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Wysocka, Malgorzata; Główny Instytut Górnictwa, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Grygier, Agata; Główny Instytut Górnictwa, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Hildebrandt, Robert ; Główny Instytut Górnictwa, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
TOSHEVA, Zornitza ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) > Department of Physics and Materials Science (DPHYMS)
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
The Determination of Radon/Thoron Exhalation Rate in an Underground Coal Mine-Preliminary Results.
Publication date :
16 May 2022
Journal title :
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
MNiSW - Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education
Funding number :
11121011
Funding text :
Funding: This research was funded by the Polish Ministry of Education and Science within the statutory activity in the year 2021 of the Central Mining Institute, contract number 11353011.
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