Metrology for Indoor Radon Measurements and Requirements for Different Types of Devices

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 24; no. 2; p. 504
• Main Authors: Tsapalov, Andrey, Kovler, Konstantin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.01.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Algorithms; Buildings; Conformity; conformity assessment; Decision making; indoor radon; Machine learning; measurement protocol; metrology; QA/QC; Radiation; temporal and instrumental uncertainties; Austria; United States > US; Europe; QA/QC; conformity assessment; indoor radon; rational criterion; temporal and instrumental uncertainties; ISO/IEC; measurement protocol; long-term tests; metrology; short-term tests
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s24020504

Indoor radon measurements have been conducted in many countries worldwide for several decades. However, to date, there is a lack of a globally harmonized measurement standard. Furthermore, measurement protocols in the US (short-term tests for 2–7 days) and European Union countries (long-term tests for at least 2 months) differ significantly, and their metrological support is underdeveloped, as clear mathematical algorithms (criteria) and QA/QC procedures considering fundamental ISO/IEC concepts such as “measurement uncertainty” and “conformity assessment” are still absent. In this context, for many years, the authors have been advancing and refining the theory of metrological support for standardizing indoor radon measurements based on a rational criterion for conformity assessment within the ISO/IEC concepts. The rational criterion takes into account the main uncertainties arising from temporal variations in indoor radon and instrumental errors, enabling the utilization of both short- and long-term measurements while ensuring specified reliability in decision making (typically no less than 95%). The paper presents improved mathematical algorithms for determining both temporal and instrumental uncertainties. Additionally, within the framework of the rational criterion, unified metrological requirements are formulated for various methods and devices employed in indoor radon measurements.