EPA/EERF-MANUAL-78-1
R
A
D
O
N
  in Water Sampling
       Program

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The Eastern Environmental Radiation Facility(EERF) is a
field   facility of  the  U.S.  Environmental  Protection
Agency's Office of Radiation Programs(ORP).
   Copies of this manual  may  be obtained by direct
request to the EERF.  To request copies of the manual, or
for additional  information  concerning  the procedures
described herein, write to:
       Eastern Environmental Radiation Facility
                   P.O. Box 3009
            Montgomery, Alabama 36109

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                            CONTENTS



I.   Background	  1




II.  Sampling Program	  2




    A.  Selection of Sampling Site	  2




    B.  Sampling Kits	  2




    C.  Sample Collection	  2




    D.  Sample Data Form	 10




    E.  Sample Log 	 10




    F  Return of Samples to EERF  	 10
                           List of Figures






Figure 1.   Radon in water - sampling kit	  3



Figure 2.   Radon sampling kit - close-up	  4



Figure 3.   Connect tube to water supply	  5



Figure 4.   Allow water to slowly collect in funnel  	  6



Figure 5.   Withdrawing water sample with syringe 	  7



Figure 6.   Eject air bubbles and excess water	  8



Figure 7.   Inject sample into sample vial	  9



Figure 8.   Sample data form	 11

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I.   Background
        Radon-222 is an inert, noble gas and
     a radioactive decay product of radium-
     226.   Radon   diffuses   through  the
     underground geological strata and into
     underground   aquifers   and  surface
     waters. These waters may also contain
     radium-226, but there does not appear to
     be a direct correlation between radium-
     226   and  radon-222  concentrations.
     Radon   exists   in  ground  water  at
     concentrations  which   are  typically
     much  greater  than   its   immediate
     precursor, radium-226. This most likely
     occurs because radium-226 is trapped in
     the rocks, sands and clays  which make
     up the aquifers while radon, as a noble
     gas,  is much freer to migrate into the
     water.

        Radon  in  drinking  water  has
     previously been considered a source of
     radiation exposure  primarily  from an
     ingestion  standpoint.  However,  the
     Office of Radiation Programs (ORP) of
     the  Environmental Protection Agency
     (EPA) is investigating radon  in water
     supplies because of the possibility thata
     major pathway from inhalation exposure
     may  exist, in addition to the ingestion
     pathway.

        Previously, studies associated with
     the inhalation of radon  were limited to
     miners  and   the  mining  industry,
     primarily the uranium mining industry.
     In 1970, the EPA assumed responsibility
     from  the United States  Public Health
     Service  (PHS)  for the investigation of
     radon and  radon  daughter exposures
     resulting from  the use of uranium mill
     tailings.  Since that time additional work
     has investigated radon exposures from
     natural  gas,  phosphate  mining  and
     milling practices,  and the  burning of
     coal in power plants.

        Measurements of radon in water in
     the U.S.  have been recorded as early as
     1905,   when  abnormally  high
     concentrations were  found in the spring
     water of Hot  Springs  National  Park,
     Arkansas.  Since that time there have
     been numerous reports  in the literature
     indicating radon-222 concentrations in
     selected  water  supplies in excess of
     2,000 pCi/l. Specific geographic areas
     shown to have such high concentration
     include  Maine, North Carolina, Texas,
     Arkansas, Florida, and Utah.
    Dose estimates in the literature are
generally  based  on  radon  progeny
ingested with the water. However, more
recent data indicates that inhalation of
radon and radon progeny may produce
significantly higher  exposures.  As an
inert gas, radon is not chemically bound
to the water and, consequently, can be
released  during  any   operation  that
aerates or agitates water. Measurements
of radon releases from water in the home
during  clothes washing,  dishwashing,
showers, etc., demonstrated emanation
percentages from 70  to 100 percent
depending  on  the temperature  of the
water and the amount of agitation.

    In addition to the release of radon in
homes, large quantities of radon could
be released in water treatment plants or
by large industrial users of water. Water
treatment plants that employ  aeration,
or industrial users who use water for
spraying,   cooling,  etc.,  could  be
potential sources for radon released to
the environment.

    To  determine  the  scope of this
potential problem, a national sampling
program  is  necessary to obtain data on
radon  in  public and   private  water
samples across the country. A suitable
sampling kit has been developed by the
Eastern Environmental Radiation
Facility (EERF)) to collect water samples
from many locations  throughout the
U.S. The kit is designed so that samples
can be collected from any potable water
supply and shipped, without loss of
radon other than radioactive decay, to
EERF for analysis.

    The water samples will be collected,
using a syringe,  and added to a liquid
scintillation  vial containing  a
premeasured  amount of  liquid
scintillation  mix. The samples will be
returned  to  EERF for analysis using a
liquid scintillation counter. A mineral oil
based liquid scintillation mix has been
chosen to allow mailing of samples.

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Sampling Program
A.  Selection of Sampling Site

    If special instructions are not given,
the routine selection of a sampling site
can be any location where the water is
routinely used. This source can be any
faucet that is easily accessible, e.g., an
outside faucet at a service station, etc.

B.  Sampling Kits (figures 1 and 2) are
small  lightweight  carrying  cases
complete  with  all materials necessary
for collecting potable water samples for
radon-222 analysis. Each kit contains
the following equipment:

      1    sampling funnel and  tube
with standard faucet fitting

      1 - slip-on faucet adapter
      2 - 20 ml syringes

      2     18  gauge
 hypodermic needles
two-inch
      20  to  30    glass scintillation
 vials with 10 ml solution each

 C.  Sample Collection

      1.  Attach the  sampling funnel
    and tube to a faucet with either the
    standard faucet fitting or adapter
    (figure 3).

      2.  Slowly turn on the water and
    allow a steady stream to flow out of
    the  funnel  for approximately  2
    minutes. This  purges the tube and
    assures a fresh sample.

      3.  Reduce the flow of water and
    invert the funnel (figure 4). The flow
    should be  adjusted to  a level that
    does pot cause turbulence  in the
    pool  of  water  contained in the
    funnel. Allow excess water to spill
    over one edge of the funnel.

      4.  Examine  the hose connection
    and  tubing  for  air bubbles  or
    pockets. If these are visible, raise or
    lower  the  funnel until  they are
    removed.
                         5.  Place  the   tip   of  the
                        hypodermic needle approximately
                        3 cm under the surface of the water
                        in the funnel and withdraw a few ml
                        of water and eject this water. Using
                        this procedure,  rinse the syringe
                        and hypodermic needle two or three
                        times.
 6.  Again,  place the tip of the
needle approximately 3 cm below
the  surface  of  the  water  and
withdraw  12 to 15 ml (figure 5).
NOTE: The water should be pulled
Into the syringe  slowly to  avoid
extreme turbulence and collection
of air bubbles. If large air bubbles
are  noticed  In  the syringe,  the
sample  should be  ejected  and
redrawn.

 7.  Invert the syringe and slowly
eject any small air bubbles and
extra water  (figure  6).  Retain
precisely  10  ml  of  water in  the
syringe.

 8.  Remove the cap from a vial and
carefully place the tip of the needle
into the  bottom  of-  the liquid
scintillation  solution  (figure  7).
Slowly eject the  water from  the
syringe  into the vial. NOTE: The
water Is Infected  under the liquid
scintillation solution to prevent loss
of radon from the sample. If the
water Is forced out of the syringe
with much pressure, It will cause
turbulence In the solution and could
result In loss of radon.

 9.  Carefully  withdraw  the
hypodermic  needle from  the  vial
and replace the cap. The cap should
be   tightly  secured  to  prevent
leakage.

10.  Repeat  the previous steps to
obtain two separate samples from
each source.  This completes the
sample collection.

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Figure 1.  Radon In water - sampling kit.

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Figure 2.  Radon sampling kit - close-up.

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                    -^ -•»
Figure 3.  Connect tube to water supply.

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Figure 4.  Allow water to slowly collect In funnel.

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Figure 5.  Withdrawing water sample with syringe.

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Figure 6.  Eject air bubbles and excess water.

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Figure 7.  Inject sample Into sample vial.

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D.  Sample  Data  Form  •- Figure  8.
Provide the following information on the
form:
         1.  Date  that the sample  is
   'collected, e.g., 3/10/78.

         2.  Time  of  collection
    indicate the time of day that the
    sample  was  collected,  e.g., 9:35
    A.M. CST.

         3.  Sample numbers-the cap
    for   each   vial  is  prenumbered.
    Record  this  number  for  each
    sample collected at a site.

        4.  Location  -   identify  the
    sampling location with  as much
    detail  as  possible,  e.g.,  street
    address, city, county, state, etc.

         5.  Description of Source - if
    the water source  is  a  private well,
    mark the  appropriate  box  and
    indicate the depth if known. If the
    source  of   water  is  a public
    (municipal) supply, then  mark that
    box and indicate if it originates from
    groundwater wells (give  depth,  if
    available)   or   surface  supplies.
    Provide any additional information
    concerning  the water source that is
    available.   Particularly  useful
    information   includes water
    treatment  processes,  aeration,
    chemical additives, etc.

         6.  Sample  Collected By  -
    provide the name,  address,  and
    phone number of the  person who
    collects the samples.

E.  Sample  Log -  A  separate  log
containing  the  above  information
should be kept  with the sample kit as
backup data in the event of loss of the
sample data form.
F.   Return of Samples to EERF -

    After collection of the samples, they
will be mailed to the EERF for analysis.
Each  liquid scintillation  vial should be
individually wrapped with the absorbent
material provided and placed in the self-
addressed mailing tubes (two  vials and
the data form per tube). These mailing
tubes will be provided by EERF separate
from the sampling kit. The two samples
from each source should be packaged
and mailed as soon as possible. Due to
the short half-life of  radon-222 (3.8
days), the quick return of the samples for
analysis is of primary importance.
                                       10

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                                                                                            Sample No.'s:
Date:
Time of Collection:
Location:
Description of Source:    D  Private Well (Depth	)



                        D  Public Supply



                        D  Groundwater (Well Depth	)
                               or D  Surface Water (Lake, Reservoir, etc.)
          Additional Information:
          Sample collected by:      Name.
                                  Address-



                                  Phone	

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