Radon monitoring and hazard prediction in Ireland

A new high spatial resolution radon risk map of Ireland has been developed in this project, based on a combination of the indoor radon measurements collated by the Environmental Protection Agency of Ireland (n=31,910) and relevant geological information (i.e. bedrock geology, Quaternary geology, soil permeability and aquifer type). The population affected by radon concentrations above 200 Bq m-3 is therefore estimated at ca. 460k (about 10% of the total population). An average indoor radon concentration over Electoral Divisions (3,409 EDs) was also calculated, ranging from 21 to 338 Bq m-3. Based on these calculations and the population density in Ireland, it is estimated that of the approximately 2,300 lung cancer cases currently diagnosed in Ireland annually, about 280 may be linked to radon exposure.

A method to predict the soil-gas radon concentration using the results of the Tellus airborne geological mapping survey (i.e. Uranium - eU) and soil properties (i.e. porosity, density, and radon emanation factor) was proposed. A Radon Potential was then estimated, taking into account also the subsoil permeability. Selected test sites were further studied using in-situ soil-gas radon and permeability measurements in order to validate the model, and better understand factors affecting production, transport and accumulation of radon in the natural/built environment.