Radon, the colorless, odorless, tasteless, naturally occurring, radioactive noble gas that is formed from the decay of radium, is the number two cause of lung cancer and one of the top causes of cancer death in the world. That is why knowing where to find them and immediately getting rid of them is very important. But where exactly does radon come from? Where can one find the presence of radon that is dangerous to human being? Let’s find out.
On the average, there is one atom of radon in 1-by-1021 molecules of air. It can also be found in some spring waters and hot springs. The towns of Misasa, Japan, and Bad Kreuznach, Germany boast radium-rich springs which emit radon. Unsurprisingly, Radium Springs, New Mexico does too.
Radon exhausts naturally from the ground, especially but not only on regions with granitic soils. Not all granitic regions are prone to high emissions of radon. For example, the rock which Aberdeen is on is very radium-rich but the rock lacks the cracks required for the radon to migrate. In other near by areas of Scotland, which is on the north of Aberdeen, and in Cornwall-Devon, the radon is very able to leave the rock.
Radon, as we know it, is a decay product of radium which in turn is a decay product of uranium. It is possible to get maps of average radon levels in houses, these maps assist in the planning of radon mitigation measures for homes. Note that while high uranium in the soil/rock under a house does not always lead to a high radon level in air, a positive correlation between the uranium content of the soil and the radon level in air can be seen. The radon released into the air, which is 222Rn, decays to 210Pb and other radioisotopes, the levels of 210Pb can be measured. It is important to note that the rate of deposition of this radioisotope is very dependent on the weather.
Well water can also be very rich in radon. The use of this water inside a house is an additional route allowing radon to enter the house. The radon can enter the air and then be a source of exposure to the humans, or the water can be consumed by humans which is a different exposure route.
Water, oil and gas from wells cam also contain radon. The radon decays to form solid radioisotopes which then form coatings on the inside of pipework. In an oil processing plant, the area of the plant where propane is processed is often one of the more contaminated areas of the plant as radon has a similar boiling point as propane.
On the average, there is one atom of radon in 1-by-1021 molecules of air. It can also be found in some spring waters and hot springs. The towns of Misasa, Japan, and Bad Kreuznach, Germany boast radium-rich springs which emit radon. Unsurprisingly, Radium Springs, New Mexico does too.
Radon exhausts naturally from the ground, especially but not only on regions with granitic soils. Not all granitic regions are prone to high emissions of radon. For example, the rock which Aberdeen is on is very radium-rich but the rock lacks the cracks required for the radon to migrate. In other near by areas of Scotland, which is on the north of Aberdeen, and in Cornwall-Devon, the radon is very able to leave the rock.
Radon, as we know it, is a decay product of radium which in turn is a decay product of uranium. It is possible to get maps of average radon levels in houses, these maps assist in the planning of radon mitigation measures for homes. Note that while high uranium in the soil/rock under a house does not always lead to a high radon level in air, a positive correlation between the uranium content of the soil and the radon level in air can be seen. The radon released into the air, which is 222Rn, decays to 210Pb and other radioisotopes, the levels of 210Pb can be measured. It is important to note that the rate of deposition of this radioisotope is very dependent on the weather.
Well water can also be very rich in radon. The use of this water inside a house is an additional route allowing radon to enter the house. The radon can enter the air and then be a source of exposure to the humans, or the water can be consumed by humans which is a different exposure route.
Water, oil and gas from wells cam also contain radon. The radon decays to form solid radioisotopes which then form coatings on the inside of pipework. In an oil processing plant, the area of the plant where propane is processed is often one of the more contaminated areas of the plant as radon has a similar boiling point as propane.
Because uranium minerals emit radon gas uranium mining is considerably more dangerous than other hard rock mining, which requires adequate ventilation systems if the mines are not open pit. Currently the level of radon in the air of mines is controlled by law. In a working mine, the radon level can be controlled by ventilation, sealing off old workings and controlling the water in the mine.
The level in a mine can go up when a mine is abandoned, it can reach a level which is able to cause the skin to become red, which is a mild radiation burn. The radon levels in some of the mines can reach 400 to 700 kBq m-3.
The danger of radon exposure in houses was discovered in 1984 by Stanley Watras, an employee at the Limerick nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. He set off the radiation alarms on his way into work for two weeks straight while authorities searched for the source of the contamination. They were shocked to find that the source was astonishingly high levels of radon in his basement and it was not related to the nuclear plant. The risks associated with living in his house were estimated to be equivalent to smoking 135 packs of cigarettes every day.
Depending on how houses are built and ventilated, radon may accumulate in basements and lower floors of the house. The European Union recommends that action should be taken starting from concentrations of 400 Bq/m3 for old houses and 200 Bq/m3 for new ones. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP) recommends action for any house with a concentration higher than 8 pCi/L (300 Bq/m³). The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends action for any house with a concentration higher than 148 Bq/m3 (given as 4 pCi/L). Nearly one in 15 homes in the United States has a high level of indoor radon according to their statistics. The US Surgeon General and EPA recommend all homes be tested for radon. Since 1985, millions of homes have been tested for radon in the United States
So it looks like radon can be everywhere. But it is also important to know that radon exposure can be prevented by always checking the level of its presence in a location. Lower levels of radon in the surrounding can be of no harm to human beings. That is why knowing where and how to detect the presence of this poisonous gas is a matter of life and death.
Radon From Granite Causes Cancer Radon Gas Detectors – Keep it safe
Simply put, think of natural stone as a very dense sponge that allows water, air and yes radon to pass through the stone. Once the stone is removed from the source of radon (the e… Read more…
Be careful when getting a granite countertop
So she called a radon measurement and mitigation technician to find the source. “He went from room to room,” said Dr. Sugarman, a pediatrician. But he stopped in his tracks in the ki… Read more…
Radon Gas In The Home Can Be Dangerous To Your Health
Soil and water are the two main sources of radon entering your home. It is estimated that one out of fifteen homes in the US test for elevated radon levels. Radon is odorle… Read more…
http://radongasdetectors.net/where-is-radon-gas-found-the-occurrence-of-a-poisonous-gas
The danger of radon exposure in houses was discovered in 1984 by Stanley Watras, an employee at the Limerick nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. He set off the radiation alarms on his way into work for two weeks straight while authorities searched for the source of the contamination. They were shocked to find that the source was astonishingly high levels of radon in his basement and it was not related to the nuclear plant. The risks associated with living in his house were estimated to be equivalent to smoking 135 packs of cigarettes every day.
Depending on how houses are built and ventilated, radon may accumulate in basements and lower floors of the house. The European Union recommends that action should be taken starting from concentrations of 400 Bq/m3 for old houses and 200 Bq/m3 for new ones. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP) recommends action for any house with a concentration higher than 8 pCi/L (300 Bq/m³). The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends action for any house with a concentration higher than 148 Bq/m3 (given as 4 pCi/L). Nearly one in 15 homes in the United States has a high level of indoor radon according to their statistics. The US Surgeon General and EPA recommend all homes be tested for radon. Since 1985, millions of homes have been tested for radon in the United States
So it looks like radon can be everywhere. But it is also important to know that radon exposure can be prevented by always checking the level of its presence in a location. Lower levels of radon in the surrounding can be of no harm to human beings. That is why knowing where and how to detect the presence of this poisonous gas is a matter of life and death.
Radon From Granite Causes Cancer Radon Gas Detectors – Keep it safe
Simply put, think of natural stone as a very dense sponge that allows water, air and yes radon to pass through the stone. Once the stone is removed from the source of radon (the e… Read more…
Be careful when getting a granite countertop
So she called a radon measurement and mitigation technician to find the source. “He went from room to room,” said Dr. Sugarman, a pediatrician. But he stopped in his tracks in the ki… Read more…
Radon Gas In The Home Can Be Dangerous To Your Health
Soil and water are the two main sources of radon entering your home. It is estimated that one out of fifteen homes in the US test for elevated radon levels. Radon is odorle… Read more…
http://radongasdetectors.net/where-is-radon-gas-found-the-occurrence-of-a-poisonous-gas
No comments:
Post a Comment