Radon risk mapping in southern Belgium: an application of geostatistical and GIS techniques

A data set of long-term radon measurements in approximately 2200 houses in southern Belgium has been collected in an on-going national radon survey. The spatial variation of indoor Rn concentrations is modelled by variograms. A radon distribution map is produced using the log-normal kriging techniqu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science of the total environment 2001-05, Vol.272 (1), p.203-210
Main Authors: Zhu, H.C, Charlet, J.M, Poffijn, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollutants, Radioactive - adverse effects
Air Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis
Applied sciences
Atmospheric pollution
Belgium
Biometry
Buildings. Public works
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
Geographical information system (GIS)
Geological Phenomena
Geology
Geostatistics
Global environmental pollution
Humans
Indoor pollution and occupational exposure
Information Systems
Log-normal kriging
Pollution
Pollution indoor buildings
Pollution, environment geology
Radon - adverse effects
Radon - analysis
Radon, indoor
Risk Factors
Risk mapping
Spatial analysis
Variogram
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Summary:A data set of long-term radon measurements in approximately 2200 houses in southern Belgium has been collected in an on-going national radon survey. The spatial variation of indoor Rn concentrations is modelled by variograms. A radon distribution map is produced using the log-normal kriging technique. A GIS is used to digitise, process and integrate a variety of data, including geological maps, Rn concentrations associated with house locations and an administrative map, etc. It also allows evaluation of the relationships between various spatial data sets with the goal of producing radon risk maps. Based on geostatistical mapping and spatial analysis, we define three categories of risk areas: high risk, medium risk and low risk area. The correlation between radon concentrations and geological features is proved in this study. High and medium Rn risk zones are dominantly situated in bedrock from the Cambrian to Lower Devonian, although a few medium risk zones are within the Jurassic. It is evident that high-risk zones are related to a strongly folded and fractured context.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/S0048-9697(01)00693-3