Monitoring radon concentration in roman catacombs: a long-term analysis across different geological settings.

ABSTRACT: Radon concentration monitoring was conducted in three Roman catacombs characterized by distinct geological settings, motivated by the anticipated high radon levels in indoor underground spaces-some of them carved into volcanic deposits-and the associated potential health risks for workers and visitors. The study was also inspired by the interest in an environment that is generally difficult to access and consequently little studied. Radon studies in catacombs existing in literature primarily focus on average radon levels; in this study, active monitoring instruments were employed to analyze radon concentrations both spatially and temporally across multiple time scales, enabling the detection of the gas's full dynamics, including diurnal and seasonal variations as well as long-term trends.

SUBMITTER: Soldati G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12296779 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature