Pilot Study of Radon Volatilization from Showers with Implications for Dose

A full-sized, enclosed, experimental shower (volume 1.5 m 3 ) was used to simulate radon volatilization from domestic showers. The shower was operated at a water flow rate of 2 and 4 L/min at a temperature of 22 °C. The average fractional volatilization was ∼0.60 and ∼0.70, respectively. A comparison was made between inhalation doses in nanogray (nGy) for four 10-min shower experiments and for the case of continuous breathing indoors for a 24-h period. The calculated inhalation dose using experimental shower results ranges in value from 1.5 to 11 nGy as compared to a calculated daily inhalation dose of 180 nGy.