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2016 | OriginalPaper | Buchkapitel

11. Radon: A Human Health Hazard in the Environment

verfasst von : Mark Baskaran

Erschienen in: Radon: A Tracer for Geological, Geophysical and Geochemical Studies

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

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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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Vorheriges Kapitel Radon as a Tracer for Earthquake Studies

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.

ACH: air change hour; a value of 0.25 means 25 % of the indoor is exchanged in 1 h.

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.

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).

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Titel: Radon: A Human Health Hazard in the Environment
verfasst von: Mark Baskaran
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Buch: Radon: A Tracer for Geological, Geophysical and Geochemical Studies
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-21328-6

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-21329-3

Copyright-Jahr: 2016
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21329-3_11