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The general effects of radon to the human body are caused by its radioactivity and consequent risk of radiation-induced cancer. Lung cancer is the only observed consequence of high concentration radon exposures; both human and animal studies indicate that the lung and respiratory system are the primary targets of radon daughter-induced toxicity ...
Treatment systems using aeration or activated charcoal are available to remove radon from domestic water supplies. There is no proven link between radon in water and gastrointestinal cancers; however, extremely high radon concentrations in water can be aerosolized by faucets and shower heads and contribute to high indoor radon levels in the air.
To achieve these aims, WHO has formed a network of key partner agencies from some 40 Member States. This network is the basis for the WHO International Radon Project which was launched in 2005. Working groups will collect and analyse information on radon risk, radon policies, radon mitigation and prevention as well as risk communication.
Very high radon concentrations (>1000 Bq/m 3) have been found in houses built on soils with a high uranium content and/or high permeability of the ground. If levels are 20 picocuries radon per liter of air (800 Bq/m 3 ) or higher, the home owner should consider some type of procedure to decrease indoor radon levels.
BEIR III 1980: “The Effects on Populations of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation” BEIR IV 1988: “Health Effects of Radon and Other Internally Deposited Alpha-Emitters” BEIR V 1990: “Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation” BEIR VI 1999: “The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon”
This can be done by wearing a dust mask, and wearing a suit to cover the entire body. Note that exposure to smoke at the same time as radon and radon daughters will increase the harmful effect of the radon. In uranium miners radon has been found to be more carcinogenic in smokers than in non-smokers. [3] The radium or uranium series.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) or becquerel per cubic meter (Bq m-3). Both are measurements of radioactivity. The World Health Organization (WHO) sets the ideal indoor radon levels at 100 Bq/m-3. [97] In the United States, it is recommend to fix homes with radon levels at or above 4 pCi/L.
Radon is responsible for the worldwide majority of the mean public exposure to ionizing radiation.It is often the single largest contributor to an individual's background radiation dose, and is the most variable from location to location.