Radon characteristics related to dose for different living places of the human

Not the radon gas, 222Rn, but its short-lived decay product, 218Po, 214Bi, 214Po, in the breathing air cause the dominant component of radiation dose of the human. The dominant parameter related to dose is the activity size distribution of the decay products in the air because the original deposition destination and amount of the inhaled activity deposited in lung depend on the particle size. For practical reasons related to measurements it is reasonable to separate the activity size distribution in three quantities, which characterise the radon progeny related to dose: Equilibrium factor (F-factor), Unattached fraction (fp-factor), Relative activity size distribution. The values of these quantities, their variation and the main influence parameters obtained from measurements carried out in dwellings, in the free atmosphere (at ground level), and in different work places are reported. In addition, it is tried to estimate the variation of the inhalation dose per unit exposure for the different living places of the human, taking into account the radon progeny characteristics and a modified human respiratory tract model of ICRP 66. (author)