RESUMEN
Over the past 15 years scientific research and application-oriented research were carried out in Austria to resolve the radon problem. In this paper, the strategy and progression of radon research in Austria and experience gained by practical implementation of the main findings are shown and discussed comprehensively. The overview includes the results of the national radon survey, radon mitigation and precaution studies, indoor-air studies at kindergartens and schools, soil-gas radon research, and the establishment of national radon precaution and mitigation standards.
Asunto(s)
Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/análisis , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/prevención & control , Monitoreo de Radiación/legislación & jurisprudencia , Monitoreo de Radiación/normas , Protección Radiológica/legislación & jurisprudencia , Radón/análisis , Administración de la Seguridad/legislación & jurisprudencia , Austria , Dosis de Radiación , Monitoreo de Radiación/métodos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Administración de la Seguridad/métodos , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
The Austrian radon mitigation joint research project SARAH (supported by the Austrian Ministry of Economy and the Government of Upper Austria), a 2-year follow-up study of the Austrian National Radon Project (ONRAP), was started in 1996. The objectives of the research project were to find simple, cost-effective experimental methods for the characterisation of the radon situation in dwellings and to evaluate technically and economically the implementation of state of the art remedial actions for Austrian house types. After an intercomparison exercise of the assigned radon measuring instruments and detectors five houses were closely examined in regions with elevated radon levels in the federal state of Upper Austria. In this research work for the first time an extended Blower-Door method (which is conventionally used for determining the tightness of buildings) was successfully applied to radon diagnosis of buildings. In this paper the methods used for the radon diagnosis, the applied mitigation measures and the related technical and economical aspects are discussed. In conclusion of the results of this project a common strategy for solving the radon problem in Austria in the future is presented briefly.