In daily life, we are exposed to radiation constantly. The radios we listen to in our automobiles and the microwaves in our kitchens are two of the most well-known sources of radiation. The majority of the radiation to which we are exposed has no health risks.
Radon, a radioactive gas with no color, smell, or taste, is one natural radiation source that can be dangerous. The chemical element radon emerges from the bedrock and travels through the earth. Radon doesn’t pose a threat to human health outside because it tends to dilute in the atmosphere.
However, indoor radon is hazardous, and multiple history of radon studies have shown that even low concentrations which are typically present in homes and workplaces—are harmful to one’s health.
High levels of indoor chemical element radon are especially harmful since lung cancer risk grows dramatically with continuous inhalation exposure.
Soil, water, and building materials may include elements like uranium, thorium, and radium that decompose into radon. To safeguard people’s health safety regulations set radon concentrations in residences and places of employment.
What Is Radon?
The radioactive disintegration of radium produced the first detection of radon. In the periodic table, it is mentioned by the symbol Rn and has an atomic number of 86. Some spring water and hot springs contain radon. The unit of measurement for its concentration is typically becquerel (Bq) per cubic meter. Its concentration in the air varies from 1 to 100 Bq/m^2. Well, water in some areas will have a high radon content. Rainwater can contain large levels of radioactivity due to the element’s high concentration.
Radon’s Physical Characteristics
- At standard pressure and temperature, the chemical element radon (Rn) is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless radon discovery that is the densest noble gas.
- It has a beautiful yellow phosphorescence that is visible at temperatures below freezing.
- It has little chemical reactivity and is radioactive.
Uses And Consequences Of Radon
Scientific:
- To a limited extent, air masses are tracked using radon.
- Variations in the levels of radon in groundwater are helpful in earthquake prediction.
- Radon was employed as an X-ray source and for industrial radiography in the 1940s.
Medical:
- Arthritis and other auto-immune illnesses lessen by a procedure known as radon hormesis.
- It is used to cure cancer and damage to cells.
- Radiation therapy also makes use of radon.
Radon’s Implications On Health
Lung illness may result from breathing in the element. The nicest thing about radon is that it won’t hurt you unless you contact it directly.
What Dangers Come With Being Around Radon?
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that a history of radon exposure accounts for half of the total human exposure and 3% to 14% of all lung cancer cases.
- Chemical element radon is a key cause of lung cancer.
- Smokers have a 25-fold increased risk of lung cancer due to radon exposure, making them 25 times more susceptible to the disease than non-smokers.
- In addition to tobacco smoke, asbestos, and benzene, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified radon as a known human carcinogen.
What Are The Many Forms Of Radon?
The chemical element radon comes in three different chemical forms and is quite dangerous since it degrades slowly and can build up indoors. It is frequent because of the ground’s high uranium-238 concentrations and the differing amounts of radium-226 in different building materials. To increase public radiation exposure, radon-222, a byproduct of uranium-238 or radium-226 decay, is frequently mixed with radon-220, a byproduct of thorium-232 decay. But Radon-219 isn’t thought to be harmful.
How Can Radon Enter Our Bodies?
The radioactive gas chemical element radon is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is created underground using uranium and permeates the atmosphere. In enclosed environments like buildings, high amounts of radon can accumulate, and lung cancer risk might rise with prolonged exposure.
- Indoor air containing radon
Countries and even individual houses tend to have different indoor radon concentrations due to variations in temperature, building methods, forms of ventilation, household customs, and, most significantly, geology. Radon is emitted from bedrock material and travels through the soil before being diluted in the surrounding air and infiltrating buildings. Radium and uranium are especially abundant in granites, migmatites, certain clays, and tills; these elements decay to produce radon. The primary source of radon in indoor air is radon that escapes from the earth underneath buildings.
Since the chemical element radon does not dissipate as rapidly as it does outside and prefers to build up in enclosed areas of buildings, it is a major cause of radiation exposure for the general population.
- Water with radon
In uranium-rich geological regions, radon may dissolve and build up in groundwater sources like water pumps and drilled wells. When water is used for regular tasks like washing or showering, the chemical element radon is emitted into the atmosphere.
The main cause of the lung cancer risks linked with drinking water containing chemical element radon is inhaling it, while epidemiological studies have not shown a link between this exposure with an elevated risk of stomach cancer. Soil beneath structures is typically a more major source of radon exposure than water.
- Building materials containing the chemical element radon
Radon is naturally produced in negligible amounts by the majority of construction materials. In addition, certain materials have the potential to be substantial sources of radon exposure. These materials often combine high porosity—which permits radon gas to escape—with high quantities of radium-226, which decays into chemical element radon. These consist of Italian tuff, phosphogypsum, and lightweight concrete with alum shale. Significant indoor radon concentrations can also result from the use of old uranium tailings, or by-products of uranium mining, as filler beneath structures.
How Can The Radon Levels Be Lowered?
Corrective measures, including isolation, controlling internal air pressure, and thermal retrofitting, can lower radon levels in buildings. Radon levels might rise as a result of low ventilation rates. Many national construction rules now incorporate the prevention of radon buildup in newly constructed homes, which makes it more affordable and efficient than other public radon in radiotherapy measures. Regular ventilation is beneficial as well. See this paper for further details on mitigation and preventative strategies.
Radon In Places Of Employment
In both above-ground and underground workplaces, radon exposure at work is rather prevalent (Infographic: Adriana Vargas/IAEA).
Workplaces located underground may have higher amounts of radon because of their unique geological makeup or inadequate ventilation. The impacted workplaces are mostly those connected to employment in basements, tunnels, and mines. Due to radon’s natural occurrence in the earth, inadequate ventilation, or raw material processing, a sizable number of typical above-ground businesses, including factories, stores, schools, museums, and offices, may also have elevated amounts of the radioactive gas.
Radon levels in groundwater can be elevated, especially in granite rock regions. Workplaces with natural water sources, such as spas, may have significant radiation.
Conclusion
Employers must take corrective measures if measurements show that radon in radiotherapy concentrations are higher than the occupational standards set by the appropriate national authority. Should corrective measures prove unfeasible or ineffectual, national authorities will be notified, and this workplace will be subject to further legal obligations. For more information and expert assistance on radon testing and mitigation, visit DSM Radon.