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Radon concentration varies greatly with season and atmospheric conditions. For instance, it has been shown to accumulate in the air if there is a meteorological inversion and little wind. [81] High concentrations of radon can be found in some spring waters and hot springs. [82]
It is often the single largest contributor to an individual's background radiation dose, and is the most variable from location to location. Radon gas from natural sources can accumulate in buildings, especially in confined areas such as attics and basements. It can also be found in some spring waters and hot springs. [2]
Radium, like radon, is radioactive and is found in small quantities in nature and is hazardous to life if radiation exceeds 20-50 mSv/year. Radium is a decay product of uranium and thorium . [ 2 ] Radium may also be released into the environment by human activity: for example, in improperly discarded products painted with radioluminescent paint.
Radon, a byproduct of naturally decaying uranium, is estimated to cause thousands of deaths each year nationwide. Here's how to protect yourself.
Radon is an invisible, radioactive atomic gas that results from the radioactive decay of radium, which may be found in rock formations beneath buildings or in certain building materials themselves. Radon is probably the most pervasive serious hazard for indoor air in the United States and Europe.
High radon levels in a Minnesota (USA) basement with a passive under slab vent pipe system can be seen in the left half of the graph. After installation of a radon fan (ASD), a permanent reduction in radon levels to approximately 0.6 pCi/L can be seen in the right half of the graph. The most common approach is active soil depressurization (ASD).
Cellars and basements built into soils over granite can become a trap for radon gas, [58] which is formed by the decay of uranium. [59] Radon gas poses significant health concerns and is the number two cause of lung cancer in the US behind smoking. [60] Thorium occurs in all granites. [61]
Radon is thus assumed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, and accounts for 15,000 to 22,000 cancer deaths per year in the US alone. [9] [better source needed] However, the discussion about the opposite experimental results is still going on. [10] About 100,000 Bq/m 3 of radon was found in Stanley Watras's basement in 1984.