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Radioactivity of building materials
Kocíková, Pavla ; Goliáš, Viktor (advisor) ; Třískala, Zdeněk (referee)
The work examines the issue of radioactivity of construction materials. The introduction deals with the approach to radioactivity from the general and legislative points of view and its origin and division. It briefly mentions units of activity. It further deals with the issue of radioactivity in construction materials as such, the issue of emerging radon and emanation of construction materials. The second part of the work focuses on extreme cases of use of unsuitable construction raw materials in the building industry in the history of the Czech Republic, specifically houses in Jáchymov, aerated concrete produced in Poříčí near Trutnov and prefabricated houses START. The closing part deals with the system of evaluation of natural radionuclide content in construction materials under the applicable legislation and it briefly describes the procedure of manufacturers and importers of construction materials in case of exceeding limit values.
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Radiation exposure in coal miners
BÁŇOVÁ, Denisa
The bachelor thesis focuses on a problematics of radiation load of miners during coal mining. This topic is something that public and miners themselves are not aware of that well. The thesis sets following goals: To chart radiation load of miners during coal mining and the awareness of miners about risks of their job. For the theme were also set following research questions: How big is the rate of radiation exposure of miners during coal mining? Is there considered any radiation protection for miners? At what rate do the miners perceive threats associated with working at coal mine? Which risks the miners encountered during their work experience? How big is the awareness of miners about the threat of radiation load? The theoretical part of this bachelor thesis classifies and sets general characteristics of coal and its most significant coal deposits. Furthermore, the thesis describes natural radionuclides and its content in rocks, radiation load of miners and other risks connected to mining. The last section of theoretical part describes radiation protection, safety and protection of health at work. The practical part was processed based on literature study and qualitative research. For data collection was used semi-structured interview with miners which formerly worked at coal mines and with miners which are still actively working at mines. Furthermore, was conducted an interview with specialist which focuses on ionizing radiation sources in a form of industrial applications. After the analysis, the research questions can be answered as follows. According to studied literature can be concluded that radiation load of miners does exist. However, from conducted interviews emerged that minors do not know much about this problematic and most of them does not even consider radiation load as a threat. The radiation protection in Czech coal mines is regulated by legislation. Based on the valid legislative the average volume activity of radionuclides in the air must be measured in work environments with material containing increased content of natural radionuclides. However, the miners reported that they did not notice any radiation measurement in coal mines. From this statement can be considered that there are no exceeding levels set by legislation at coal mines where questioned miners worked. Other possibility might be that nobody deals with it which is indicated in the interview with radiation application specialist. Some miners realize threats connected to their work and some of them do not. Some miners reported gusts, shaking, presence of methane and coal dust, various injuries and more. Those who did not report specific threats responded that they do not consider these as threats after several years working at mines. Respondents reported a big amount of threats which they encountered at their work. Amongst others were mentioned gusts, accidents, shaking, stone falls, variable temperatures, risk of occupational disease, possibility of methane explosion, presence of noise and vibrations when working with machines.
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Radioactive medicinal springs in the Skalná - Bad Brambach area
Turnová, Štěpánka ; Goliáš, Viktor (advisor) ; Vylita, Tomáš (referee)
Radiohydrochemical exploration took place in east part of the "smrčinský" pluton between "Skalná-Plesná-Bad Brambach in years 2016-2018. The main aim of the exploration was location and thorough research of possible occurrence of waters with radioactive concretation higher than 1500 Bq/l. That is a value for radioactive mineral waters given by the "lázeňským" law number 164/2001 Sb. Most important area is Plesná-south where was discovered several springs with values exceeding 5000 Bq/l. Eminent spring is called "Břetislav-Radonka" and lies one kilometre southwest from the train station Plesná-Šneky with an activity of about 12.5 kBq / l 222 Rn and a flow rate of about 2.5 l / min. It is the most active surface discharge of radon mineral water in the Czech Republic Another significant source area is north of Skalna - north. These springs were discovered almost 60 years ago, Dr. Marie Zukriegelová. The main source of this area was named after its discoverer - the "Marie Z" spring with an activity of 5800 Bq / l 222 Rn.Further the research focused on historical radioactive conduit which were used to supply village Skalné with water. The conduit was separated on two "branches" and the younger one was built ten years after the first one. In both pipes were found radioactive waters and the most important...
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Radon solutions in selected high schools in South Bohemia
PICHLOVÁ, Irena
The principal aim of this diploma thesis was to monitor radon volume activity from the ground at the buildings of selected high schools in the South Bohemian Region. The theoretical part of the diploma thesis was processed by secondary data analysis. With the help of professional literature, valid legislation and Internet texts, radon problems were analyzed. I dealt with the penetration of radon from the subsoil, water and construction material into the buildings. Furthermore, its biological effects on human health, radon program, subsidies and legislation regulating radon problems. The research was proceed through a qualitative search using secondary data analysis. The needful data for the research part of the diploma thesis I got from my own measurement of radon volume activity in five high schools in the South Bohemian Region, supplemented by the measurement of carbon dioxide. I measured the radon volume activity with the continual monitor Radim 5B and the carbon dioxide concentration with the Wöhler KM 410 for climate assessment. Measured result values were processed using special programs on the computer and the results were displayed in graphs. The measurements made it clear that in selected schools up to one have not a greater problem with radon. From the measured values of carbon dioxide concentrations is evident that in schools is not enough ventilation, and the insulation of the building and the replacement of the windows on behalf of Eurowindows plastic or wooden has an fundamental effect. Consequently, the concentration of radon is then higher than it could be. In view of these facts, it would be advisable to carry out a ventilation system in schools or create vents in the masonry to ensure that clean air is drawn into the building.
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Ionizing radiation and its influence on quality of human environment: Radon as a risk factor for health in the Czech Republic
Suchánek, Vladimír ; Šiftová, Jana (advisor) ; Kazmarová, Helena (referee)
Introduction: Environmental pollution is a major human problem since the mid-19th century. This situation is improving in the second half of the 20th century when human recognizes the consequences of industrialization. The issue of air pollution and for example, the negative effects of ionizing radiation, or the release of radon from the geological subsoil and its influence on the diseases as lung carcinoma, all these issues get more important. Purposes: The aim of the work is to find out whether there is an association between elevated radon concentration in buildings and some health indicators (incidence and standardized mortality rate). Using statistical analysis, it is examined if there is a statistically significant relationship among the variables and if these variables should be correlated together. The partial aims of the thesis are also to bring a qualitative view in the form of a professional interview and to visualize the acquired data into maps. Methods: The sources of data were the demographic yearbooks of the Czech Statistical Office, the database on the incidence of lung carcinoma from the National Health Information System and the measured values of the volume activity of radon (OAR) provided by the State Office for Radiation Protection. The data was processed by basic statistical...
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Content of radon in the building materials and its influence on human health
ŠTĚPÁNOVÁ, Miluše
This bachelor thesis deals with presence of radon gas in brick building materials. Three samples of each of four examined brick kinds were used divided into two separate groups to investigate the relationship between the chemical-mineralogical composition and radon concentration. First group consisting of Ytong and Porfix brands of brick collects autoclaved aerated concrete blocks. Being considered major type of lightweight concrete-based materials, it consists of Portland cement, lime, sand, water, and calcium sulfate. Second group collects Heluz brand bricks and historical bricks taken from the wall in the Nová Říše Monastery, both kinds being clay-based fired bricks. Results were compared with a number of relevant studies and certificated values of the activity concentration index. Using data from semiconductor-based gamma spectroscopy detector, the radon concentration was measured indirectly, through the activity concentration index. Three of the most prominent natural radionuclides potassium-40, radium-226 and thorium-232, known to form radon through their radioactive decay, were subject to the measurements. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spektrometry (ICP-OES) method was chosen as appropriate for chemical analysis. To ensure effective comprehension with structure and physicochemical properties of the samples, X-ray crystallography was used to provide mineral content measurement. Activity concentration values of the clay-based fired bricks were as much as three times higher than those of autoclaved aerated concrete blocks. This was due to high content of phyllosilicates originated from igneous and metamorphic rocks.
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The springs of the radioactive medicinal groundwaters in the Chrastava - Bogatynia area
Černík, Tomáš ; Goliáš, Viktor (advisor) ; Vylita, Tomáš (referee)
A radiogeochemical exploration in the area of Chrastava - Bogatynia belonging into lugic region was conducted in the years 2012 - 2013. This exploration's objective was to search for and investigate radioactive water manifestations with radioactivity concentration reaching minimal value of 1500 Bq/l 222Rn. This boundary is set in the spa law no. 164/2001 Sb. as a minimal radioactivity concentration for radioactive mineral water. In this area, 30 water manifestations were discovered meeting the boudary of >1500 Bq/l 222Rn. The most significant cluster is located in Albrechtice by Frýdlant. Close to Kančí vrch (Boar Hill) 12 radioactive water springs were discovered. In the town of Albrechtice, a discovery of dissolved salts- rich radioactive mineral water was made, concerning springs Soumar and Matka. The most mineralized spring Soumar contains more than 1 g/l of dissolved salts (hydrochemical type Na-Ca-Cl water with total mineralization up to 1,5 g/l) combined with it's 222Rn activity surpassing 1500 Bq/l. Another significant cluster is located near the town of Nová Ves by Chrastava, where the most active source of the whole area, Mikulášský pramen (Mikulash Spring), with activity up to 2821 Bq/l 222Rn, was found. Another three radioactive water springs were found in this area. Also, probable dry...
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Ionizing radiation and its influence on the quality of human environment: Radon as a risk factor for health in the Czech Republic
Suchánek, Vladimír ; Spilková, Jana (advisor) ; Kazmarová, Helena (referee)
The theoretical part of the thesis is divided into four chapters dealing with the problems of radon and its influence on the human organism. The first chapter summarizes the basic issues of human environment, interaction and division of the environment based on its function (use for life). The second chapter focuses on the radioactivity of environment, specifically on ionizing radiation, its formation and division, as well as its effect on human health. The next chapter is about radon, its formation, sources of radon, its distribution in the environment, measurements, protection against radon, the history of problems with radon and the Radon Programme of the Czech Republic. The last chapter of the theoretical part is dedicated to lung carcinoma, its origin, distribution, diagnosis, treatment and relationship with the incidence of radon based on surveys of selected epidemiological studies. The practical part of the thesis includes description of source data and methodology of processing data sets of radon equilibrium equivalent concentration (EEC), number of deaths by causes and population status. Chapter of results includes map outputs of radon EEC, mortality rates of carcinoma lung for men, women, and both sexes. Other parts of the outputs are the results of the correlation analysis of the...
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Legal aspects of protection against radon
Fojtíková, Olga ; Damohorský, Milan (advisor) ; Sobotka, Michal (referee)
The aim of this diploma thesis is to present legal instruments used by the state to protect citizens from indoor radon and its decay products, to assess their effectiveness and to indicate possible pitfalls in their application. The paper first describes the radon issue from the perspective of natural sciences, introduces the unique Czech approach - the Radon Program, and describes handling of the issue by the state administration. The main emphasis is put on the development of related legislation, especially in the field of atomic and building law, where the state's approach to guidance levels is critically evaluated and where some recommendations for building management are mentioned. The legislation is also closely associated with the provision of state subsidies for anti-radon measures. Current developments are evaluated and options potentially leading to an improved effectiveness of this instrument are outlined. From a practical point of view, the paper is complemented by a case report based on private law and the related protection by civil law instrument.
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Dating of radioactive mineral springs of the Krkonoše-Jizera crystalline by 230Th/234U method
Fanta, Martin ; Goliáš, Viktor (advisor) ; Mizera, Jiří (referee)
The isotopes 238 U, 234 U and 230 Th, as members of the uranium-radium decay chain, are fractionated in the environment by changes of geochemical conditions, and they can be used for dating of recent or past geochemical processes in the Quaternary. Samples of water with uranium and of water-activated solids were taken of radioactive mineral water springs at two study sites in the area of Krkonoše-Jizera crystalline complex: Svatý Vojtěch (St. Adalbert) in Horní Malá Úpa, and Bukový Pramen in the Těsný důl valley in Janské Lázně. Uranium was co-precipitated in field conditions with hydroxides of FeIII+ in 50-liter water samples of the radioactive springs. In the lab, uranium and thorium were separated from water precipitates, as well as from solid samples after their chemical decomposition, using chromatographic extraction agent UTEVA. All the three isotopes of interest emit alpha particles, and so their activities were measured by alpha spectrometry and expressed as 234 U/238 U and 230 Th/234 U ratios. As an internal standard, 232 U/228 Th was used. The resulting 234 U/238 U activity ratios of four water samples measured ranged from 1.0747 to 1.423. In twelve samples of solid phases activity ratios 234 U/238 U from 0.861 to 1.129 were determined. The 230 Th/234 U activity ratios form two distinct...
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