Design of a statewide radiation survey: Fid-Bau Portal

Design of a statewide radiation survey

Nagda, Niren L. / Koontz, Michael D. / Rector, Harry E. / Nifong, Gordon D.

AbstractThe Florida Institute of Phosphate Research (FIPR) recently sponsored a statewide survey to identify all significant land areas in Florida where the state's environmental radiation rule should be applied. Under this rule, newly constructed buildings must be tested for radiation levels unless approved construction techniques are used. Two parallel surveys — a land-based survey and a population-based survey — were designed and conducted to address the objective. Each survey included measurements in more than 3000 residences throughout the state. Other information sources that existed at the outset of the study, such as geologic profiles mapped by previous investigators and terrestrial uranium levels characterized through aerial gamma radiation surveys, were also examined. Initial data analysis efforts focused on determining the extent of evidence of radon potential for each of the 67 counties in the state. Within 18 counties that were determined to have definite evidence of elevated radon potential, more detailed spatial analyses were conducted to identify areas to which the rule should apply. A total of 74 quadrangles delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey, representing about 7% of those constituting the state, were identified as having elevated radon potential and being subject to the rule.