The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of room depressurisation
(up to - 28 Pa) on indoor radon, radon progenies and particle concentratio
ns in a wooden school building (A) and in a wooden double-family house (B).
The airborne concentrations of particles, radon, and radon progenies decre
ased with increased depressurisation. At the same time, the air exchange ra
tes increased by a factor of 9.5 (house A) and 13 (house B). The calculated
radon entry rates thus rose almost in the same ratio, 6.3 and 12, respecti
vely. The equilibrium factors between radon progenies and radon were the sa
me before and after the depressurisation being 0.04 in house A and 0.16 in
house B. When the pressure was the lowest, radon concentrations decreased b
y a factor of 0.7 in house A and 0.9 in house B, and the radon progeny leve
ls fell by a factor of 0.6 in both houses. The particle levels (particles e
xceeding 0.01 mu m) decreased by a factor of 10 (house A) and of 1.2 (house
B). The dilution by outdoor air was more effective in house A, which was l
ess tight. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.