The measurements of atmospheric radon concentration were carried out for one year at the turn of 2008/2009, using Kodak LR 115 passive track detectors. The average atmospheric radon activity near the phosphogypsum stack was 104 Bq m–3. This is below the level accepted for indoor air. The results indicate that there are strong positive correlations between radon concentration and temperature (r=0.9) or atmospheric pressure (r=0.9) and a negative correlation between radon concentration and humidity (r=-0.7) or wind velocity (r=-0.7). Moreover, for all monitoring points the correlation between radon atmospheric concentrations measured in four seasons of the year were analyzed. The correlation coefficients are as follows: winter-summer 0.7, winter-autumn 0.2, winter-spring 0.2. Influence of radon exhalation from the stack was especially distinct in winter when the background radon activity was low. Spring and autumn farmland cultivation works increase radon exhalation from the soil, so that the contribution of radon emitted from the stack was less obvious.

17.2.2012