Abstract
Radon is the single major contributor to the ionizing radiation dose, about half of the total radiation exposure, received by the human population and is the second most frequent cause of lung cancer (3–14 % of all lung cancer is attributable to radon) after smoking. Radon was classified as a human carcinogen in 1988 by the International Commission on Radiation Protection, a cancer research agency under the World Health Organization. In this chapter, a historical development of studies related to indoor radon as health hazard is presented. A summary of burden of lung cancer from indoor radon and its progeny is given. Reference level (maximum accepted annual radon concentration in residential dwelling) and Action level (a level above which remedial action is required) for a number of countries are discussed. Factors that affect the indoor radon concentrations along with a mass balance approach for indoor radon in conjunction with the importance of ventilation rate on indoor air radon level is summarized. Key aspects on radon prevention methods and mitigation techniques, including design criteria for radon systems to minimize indoor air radon levels are discussed.
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Notes
- 1.
One working level is defined as the concentration of any combination of radon progeny that results in the ultimate level of 1.3 × 105 MeV of alpha particle energy.
- 2.
ACH: air change hour; a value of 0.25 means 25 % of the indoor is exchanged in 1 h.
- 3.
If one assumes a known amount of 222Rn is kept for about 3 h for its short-lived progeny to reach secular equilibrium, then, after 3 h, the activity of the following will be equal: 222Rn = 218Po = 214Pb = 214Bi = 214Po. However, the ratio of 222Rn atoms to that of 214Po = half-life of 222Rn/half-life of 214Po = 2.01 × 109. This implies that for every 2.01 billion atoms of 222Rn, there will be one atom of 214Po.
- 4.
One can make an estimate of how many 218Po- alpha particles will be produced from the residence time of air inside the human body: assuming indoor 222Rn activity of 4 pCi L-1, amount of air breathed is 10 L/min, and residence time of air inside human body is 15 s, total radon inside the body will be 10 pCi. This corresponds to 1.76 × 105 222Rn atoms with 218Po/222Rn activity ratio of 0.054 (or 0.54 pCi of 218Po which corresponds to 0.24 218Po alpha particle).
- 5.
The concentrations of 238U and 232Th in Upper Continental Crust (UCC) are 2.5 ppm and 10.3 ppm, respectively (Wedepohl 1995); the corresponding activity values are 30.8 mBq g−1 rock and 41.7 mBq g−1 rock, respectively (i.e., parent-supported 220Rn activity is 1.35 times higher that of parent-supported 222Rn activity).
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A thorough editorial review of this chapter by Angelin Baskaran is deeply appreciated.
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Baskaran, M. (2016). Radon: A Human Health Hazard in the Environment. In: Radon: A Tracer for Geological, Geophysical and Geochemical Studies. Springer Geochemistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21329-3_11
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