A radon measurement device includes a housing, a diffusion chamber, a diffusion chamber sensor, a diffusion pathway, a clock circuit, measurement circuitry, and a triggering mechanism. The diffusion chamber is disposed in an internal cavity of the housing. The housing includes a vent. The diffusion chamber sensor detects radioactive decay of radon and generates an electrical signal. The diffusion pathway enables introduction of ambient air into the diffusion chamber. The clock circuit outputs time data. The measurement circuitry receives the electrical signal and associates therewith a particular time datum. The triggering mechanism selectively isolates the vent from an environment and selectively triggers the measurement circuitry. Responsive to a triggering action on the triggering mechanism, the diffusion pathway is fluidly connected with the environment and functionality of the measurement circuitry is initiated. The detection data set is limited to a period between the triggering action and a particular measurement interval.

A wall mounted radon detector mount for an interior room of a building is disclosed. The mount includes a flat plate for permanently mounting to a wall or ceiling of the room and a housing mountable to the flat plate. The housing has an interior space containing at least one radon detector. The mount is provided with a mounting lock for mounting the housing to the flat plate and locking the housing to the plate such that the housing cannot be removed from the mounting plate. A key is provided for engaging the lock to permit the housing to be detached from the flat plate leaving the radon detectors mounted within the housing and accessible.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus to monitor and potentially prevent occurrences of lung cancer in patients. The invention includes apparatus and methods to determine a patient's pre-disposition or propensity to acquire lung cancer. Also included are apparatus and methods to monitor for patient biomarkers and for environmental agents, to warn and to take action to reduce exposure to environmental agents and to increase patient screening for the occurrence of lung cancer.

A radon detector including a base portion, a cover portion, and a shield arrangement. The cover portion attached to the base portion houses a contained gas volume and allows diffusion of gas between a surrounding into the contained gas volume. The base portion has at least two detector location areas, enabling mechanical arranging of nuclear track detector means. The shield arrangement includes at least one shield and a shield actuator arranged for moving the shield between a closed and an open position, for each of the detector location areas. Thereby, the shield in the closed position prevents a line-of-sight between the contained gas volume and the detector location area. The shield in the open position allows a line-of-sight between the contained gas volume and the detector location area. The shield actuator is controllable from outside the contained gas volume.

A solid scintillator member is provided in the internal space of a container. The scintillator member is an aggregate of a plurality of pellets. The internal space also confines a gas produced through the vaporization of a liquid sample containing a radioactive substance. When radiation emitted from a plurality of particles within the gas reaches the scintillator member, light is generated. That light is detected by a pair of photomultipliers. A plurality of particles may be produced outside of the container and introduced into the container.

A method of selectively catalytically oxidizing dinitrogen oxide present in a gaseous sample, comprising: heating a NiO catalyst to a temperature of at least 250 C.; and bringing the gaseous sample into contact with the heated NiO catalyst to oxidize dinitrogen oxide of the gaseous sample in the presence of the heated NiO catalyst.

A sensor system is disclosed that includes a plurality of sensors, a deployment system for deploying the sensors, a control and charging system for receiving sensor data and optionally charging the batteries within the sensors, and one or more algorithms employed by the sensor system for processing, analyzing, and otherwise using data received by the plurality of sensors.

Methods and systems for detecting ice crystals and volcanic ash in concentrations capable of causing power loss in aircraft jet engines. These hazard conditions are inferred from the detection of ice crystals or ash in air recently lifted from the lower atmosphere by convective updrafts. The detection systems can comprise subsystems for detecting air recently lifted from the lower troposphere by measuring radon activity along the aircrafts' flight track, as well as subsystems for detecting ice crystals or volcanic ash around the aircraft via multispectral measurements. The detection of ice crystals in air recently lifted from the lower troposphere indicates that the ice crystals are likely present in large concentration. The detection of volcanic ash in air recently lifted from lower atmosphere also indicates that volcanic ash is likely present in high concentration. These are hazards conditions that could cause power loss, jet engine flameout, and even damage jet engines.

Containers for a fluid sample containing a radionuclide for measurement of radiation from the radionuclide include an outer shell having one or more ports between an interior and an exterior of the outer shell, and an inner shell secured to the outer shell. The inner shell includes a detector receptacle sized for at least partial insertion into the outer shell. The inner shell and outer shell together at least partially define a fluid sample space. The outer shell and inner shell are configured for maintaining an operating pressure within the fluid sample space of at least about 1000 psi. Systems for measuring radioactivity in a fluid include such a container and a radiation detector received at least partially within the detector receptacle. Methods of measuring radioactivity in a fluid sample include maintaining a pressure of a fluid sample within a Marinelli-type container at least at about 1000 psi.

A solid scintillator member is provided in the internal space of a container. The scintillator member is an aggregate of a plurality of pellets. The internal space also confines a gas produced through the vaporization of a liquid sample containing a radioactive substance. When radiation emitted from a plurality of particles within the gas reaches the scintillator member, light is generated. That light is detected by a pair of photomultipliers. A plurality of particles may be produced outside of the container and introduced into the container.