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Soil gas radon assessment and development of a radon risk map in Bolsena, Central Italy

TitleSoil gas radon assessment and development of a radon risk map in Bolsena, Central Italy
Publication TypeArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsCinelli, Giorgia, Tositti L., Capaccioni B., Brattich E., and Mostacci D.
JournalEnvironmental Geochemistry and Health
Volume37
Pagination305-319
ISSN02694042
Keywordsair pollutant, Air Pollutants, analysis, chemistry, Geologic Sediments, Italy, procedures, radiation monitoring, Radioactive, Radon, Risk assessment, sediment, Soil, soil pollutant, Soil Pollutants, Toxicity
Abstract

Vulsini Volcanic district in Northern Latium (Central Italy) is characterized by high natural radiation background resulting from the high concentrations of uranium, thorium and potassium in the volcanic products. In order to estimate the radon radiation risk, a series of soil gas radon measurements were carried out in Bolsena, the principal urban settlement in this area NE of Rome. Soil gas radon concentration ranges between 7 and 176 kBq/m3 indicating a large degree of variability in the NORM content and behavior of the parent soil material related in particular to the occurrence of two different lithologies. Soil gas radon mapping confirmed the existence of two different areas: one along the shoreline of the Bolsena lake, characterized by low soil radon level, due to a prevailing alluvial lithology; another close to the Bolsena village with high soil radon level due to the presence of the high radioactive volcanic rocks of the Vulsini volcanic district. Radon risk assessment, based on soil gas radon and permeability data, results in a map where the alluvial area is characterized by a probability to be an area with high Radon Index lower than 20 %, while probabilities higher than 30 % and also above 50 % are found close to the Bolsena village. © 2014, The Author(s).

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URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84939934053&doi=10.1007%2fs10653-014-9649-9&partnerID=40&md5=d3344c59d74cee6a433facba272e58b9
DOI10.1007/s10653-014-9649-9
Citation KeyCinelli2015305