Portable two-filter dual-flow-loop 222Rn detector: stand-alone monitor and calibration transfer device

Abstract

Little overlap exists in the required capabilities of 222Rn (radon) monitors for public health and atmospheric research. The former requires robust, compact, easily transportable instruments to characterise daily to yearly variability >100 Bq m-3, whereas the latter requires static instruments capable of characterising sub-hourly variability between 0.1 and 100 Bq m-3. Consequently, detector development has evolved independently for the two research communities, and while many radon measurements are being made world-wide, the full potential of this measurement network can't be realised because not all results are comparable. Development of a monitor that satisfies the primary needs of both measurement communities, including a calibration traceable to the International System of Units (SI), would constitute an important step toward (i) increasing the availability of radon measurements to both research communities, and (ii) providing a means to harmonize and compare radon measurements across the existing eclectic global network of radon detectors. To this end, we describe a prototype detector built by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), in collaboration with the EMPIR 19ENV01 traceRadon Project and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). This two-filter dual-flow-loop radon monitor can be transported in a standard vehicle, fits in a 19′′ instrument rack, has a 30 min temporal resolution, and a detection limit of ∼0.14 Bq m-3. It is capable of continuous, long-term, low-maintenance, low-power, indoor or outdoor monitoring with a high sensitivity and an uncertainty of ∼15 % at 1 Bq m-3. Furthermore, we demonstrate the successful transfer of an SI traceable calibration from this portable monitor to a 1500 L two-filter radon monitor under field conditions.