A note on 'an erroneous formula in use for estimating radon exhalation rates from samples using sealed can technique'

In this note, we point out a serious fallacy in a formula that has appeared in literature for calculating the Rn-222 exhalation rates using the Solid-State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) based sealed can technique. It is shown that this formula underestimates true exhalation rates by a factor of more than 10(6). Several publications have used this formula instead of the well-known Abu-Jarad formula and have reported unrealistically low (mu Bq/m(2)/d) surface exhalation rates for normal materials. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.