Citation: Luca, A.; R ˘ adulescu, I.;
Ioan, M.-R.; Fugaru, V.; Teodorescu,
C.; Barna, C.; Tut
,
˘ a, C.S.; Tugulan,
C.L.; Antohe, A.; Lal ˘ au, I.; et al.
Recent Progress in Radon Metrology
at IFIN-HH, Romania. Atmosphere
2022, 13, 363. https://doi.org/
10.3390/atmos13030363
Academic Editor: Cuco¸ s
(Dinu) Alexandra
Received: 26 January 2022
Accepted: 18 February 2022
Published: 22 February 2022
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atmosphere
Article
Recent Progress in Radon Metrology at IFIN-HH, Romania
Aurelian Luca
1,
*, Ileana Rădulescu
1
, Mihail-Răzvan Ioan
1
, Viorel Fugaru
1
, Constantin Teodorescu
1
,
Cătălina Barna
1
,Cătălin Stelian Tut
,
ă
1
, Cornel Liviu Tugulan
1
, Andrei Antohe
1
, Ioana Lalău
1,2
,
Cătălina Cîmpeanu
1
and Cristian Postolache
1
1
Horia Hulubei National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), 30 Reactorului St.,
P.O. Box MG-6, 077125 Măgurele, Romania; rileana@nipne.ro (I.R.); razvan.ioan@nipne.ro (M.-R.I.);
vfugaru@nipne.ro (V.F.); constantin.teodorescu@nipne.ro (C.T.); catalina.barna@nipne.ro (C.B.);
catalin.tuta@nipne.ro (C.S.T.); liviu.tugulan@nipne.ro (C.L.T.); antohe@nipne.ro (A.A.);
ioana.lalau@nipne.ro (I.L.); catalinac@nipne.ro (C.C.); cristip@nipne.ro (C.P.)
2
Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, P.O. Box MG-11, 030018 Măgurele, Romania
* Correspondence: aluca@nipne.ro; Tel.: +40-(0)21-404-6163
Abstract: The practical implementation of the European Council Directive no. 2013/59/EURATOM
in Romania requires reliable indoor measurements of the radon (
222
Rn) activity concentration in
air. In Romania, several Testing Laboratories were designated for radon activity and/or radon
activity concentration in air measurements by the Romanian National Commission for Nuclear
Activities Control (CNCAN). The calibration of the instruments used for indoor radon activity
concentration measurements is very important. IFIN-HH, through its Ionizing Radiation Metrology
Laboratory (LMRI), performed advanced research in the field of radon metrology, using radon
standard sources prepared by LMRI, its radon chamber facility and a new reference radon monitor.
The most recent results are described in this article. The radon chamber facility from IFIN-HH
was technically improved, and new equipment and methods were set up and tested in order to
provide new calibration services for customers. Additionally, calibration of the radon monitors
was performed, as well as of the systems with solid-state nuclear track detectors, used for radon
in air activity concentration measurements. IFIN-HH/LMRI obtained the CNCAN designation as
Calibration Laboratory for installations measuring the radon activity concentration in air.
Keywords: radon (
222
Rn); Ionizing Radiation Metrology; calibration method; activity concentration;
radon monitor; solid-state nuclear track detector; uncertainty
1. Introduction
The European Council Directive no. 2013/59/EURATOM [1] was implemented in the
Romanian national legislation by Law no. 63/9.03.2018, which modified and completed
Law no. 111/1996 regarding the safe deployment, regulation, authorization and control of
nuclear activities. During the same year, Government Decision no. 526/12.07.2018 for the
approval of the National Radon Action Plan (PNAR) was issued. More recently, three Or-
ders of the President of the Romanian National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control
(CNCAN) were issued: Order no. 185/22.07.2019 for the approval of the Methodology to
determine the radon activity concentration in air inside buildings and at working places,
Order no. 180/17.11.2020 for the approval of the Norms for personal dosimetry and radon,
and Order no. 237/12.09.2019 for the approval of the Norms regarding the designation
procedure for laboratories in the nuclear field. This complex legislation adopted by the
European and national authorities from Romania (and other EU countries as well) reflects
the significance of the risk of radon (
222
Rn isotope) to public health [2]. The practical
implementation of PNAR requires important efforts of several Romanian Government
ministries, but also the involvement of many other institutions: local and central public
authorities, academia (universities and national institutes for research and development),
Atmosphere 2022, 13, 363. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13030363 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere