NEW METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MEASUREMENTS OF RADON CONCENTRATIONS INDOORS, IN SOIL, IN WATER, AND/OR AQUEOUS MEDIA

The inventions relate to new passive monitors, which make it possible to solve most of the existing problems for both long-and short-term radon-measurements. Said monitors exploit the radon- sorption properties of solids, which are used as thin radiators against alpha-track detectors, thus forming compact passive monitors. The key strategy adopted for these radiators is to exploit equilibrium-type of radon sorption. The sorption of a gas by a solid includes absorption and adsorption as special cases. By using a plastic film with suitable absorption characteristics, it is possible to enhance the response linearity of passive monitors, as required for the long-term measurements of large radon concentrations. Because of their compactness, in addition to facilitate the in-soil measurement, said novel passive monitors allow to obtain a correct evaluation of the soil-radon concentration. Once enclosed in hermetically sealed plastic bags with low permeability to water vapour and large permeability to radon, said passive monitors are uniquely useful for passive measurements of radon concentrations in thermal spa, in water and/or aqueous media. By contrast, radiators based on adsorption processes make it finally possible to obtain monitors with sufficiently large response sensitivity for the short-term (about one-week) measurements of low radon concentrations in dwellings. Short-term-exposure monitors are of little or no use if they are not protected from accidental exposures during their storage and deployment. The inventions provide radon-free containers for the storage and/or transport of said passive radon monitors. L'invention concerne de nouveaux moniteurs passifs qui rendent possible la résolution de la plupart des problèmes existants pour les mesures de radon à long et court termes. Lesdits moniteurs exploitent les propriétés de sorption de radon des solides, qui sont utilisés comme éléments rayonnants fins contre des détecteurs de traces de particules alpha, formant ainsi des moniteurs passifs compacts. La stratégie clé adoptée pour ces éléments rayonnants est d'exploiter l'équilibre type de sorption de radon. La sorption d'un gaz par un solide inclut l'absorption et l'adsorption comme cas spéciaux. En utilisant un film de matière plastique avec des caractéristiques appropriées d'absorption, on peut augmenter la linéarité de réponse des moniteurs passifs, telle que requise pour les mesures à long terme de grandes concentrations de radon. A cause de leur co