The Indoor Radon Concentration within the Tunnels of the Cholula Pyramid Through a Nuclear Tracks Methodology

Authors

  • A. Lima-Flores Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Avenida San Claudio y 18 Sur, Colonia San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla C.P.72570, México
  • R. Palomino-Merino Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Avenida San Claudio y 18 Sur, Colonia San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla C.P.72570, México
  • E. Espinosa Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Avenida San Claudio y 18 Sur, Colonia San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla C.P.72570, México
  • V. M. Castano Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriqulla 3001, Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro C.P.76230, México
  • E. Merlo-Juarez Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia delegación Puebla, zona arqueológica de Cholula, 8 Norte No. 2 Colonia Centro, San Andrés Cholula, Puebla C.P.72760, México
  • M. Cruz-Sanchez Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia delegación Puebla, zona arqueológica de Cholula, 8 Norte No. 2 Colonia Centro, San Andrés Cholula, Puebla C.P.72760, México
  • G. Espinosa Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica, Ciudad Universitaria, México D.F. C.P.04510, México

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15415/jnp.2016.41008

Keywords:

Indoor radon, radon concentration, Nuclear Track Methodology, Cholula pyramid

Abstract

Global organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States (US-EPA) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) recognize that radon gas as one of the main contributors to environmental radiation exposure for humans. Accordingly, a study and analysis of the indoors radon concentrate in the Cholula Pyramid contributes to understand the Radon dynamic inside of the Pyramid tunnels and to evaluate the radiological health risk to visitors, archaeologists, anthropologists and persons who spend extended periods inside the Pyramid. In this paper, the radon measurements along the Pyramid tunnels are presented. The Nuclear Track Methodology (NTM) was chosen for the measurements, using a close end-cup device developed at the Dosimetry Application Project (DAP) of the Physics Institute UNAM, following very well established protocols for the chemical etching and reading with the Counting Analysis Digital Imaging System (CADIS). The Cholula Pyramid consists of eight stages of constructions, each built in different periods of time. Cholula Pyramid is recognized as the pyramid with the largest base in the World, with 400 meters per side and 65 meters high. The tunnels of the pyramid were built in 1931 by architect Ignacio Marquina, with the aim of exploring and studying the structure. The results show an important indoor radon concentration in the measured tunnels, several times higher than levels recommended by United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). The recommendation will be to mitigate the radon concentration levels, in order to avoid unnecessary exposition to the people.

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Published

2016-08-08

How to Cite

(1)
Lima-Flores, A. .; Palomino-Merino, R. .; Espinosa, E. .; Castano, V. M. .; Merlo-Juarez, E. .; Cruz-Sanchez, M. .; Espinosa, G. . The Indoor Radon Concentration Within the Tunnels of the Cholula Pyramid Through a Nuclear Tracks Methodology. J. Nucl. Phy. Mat. Sci. Rad. A. 2016, 4, 77-88.

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