Aerosol Size Distribution and Its Implication for Radiation Dose Estimation in a Copper Mine

For accurate estimation of radiation dose from radon exposure in a copper mine, the size distributions of aerosols in the different areas of the mine lane were analyzed. The size distribution of accumulated aerosols was analyzed according to the method of screen diffusion battery, the size distribution for the coarse mode of aerosols was estimated based on the size-selective measurements of mass concentrations measured by personal aerosol monitors. The results showed that the size distribution of aerosol significantly varied from different working areas and human activities. The coarse mode of aerosols widely distributed in the mine, while the nucleation mode of aerosols was negligible. Theoretical calculation shows that the dose conversion factor significantly depends on the size distribution of aerosols. Therefore, it is important to measure the size distribution of radon progeny for accurate estimation of radiation dose from radon exposure in mines.