Gourt > Science > Environment > Air Quality > Radon (1)
Radon is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Rn and atomic number 86. A radioactive noble gas that is formed by the disintegration of radium, radon is one of the heaviest gases and is considered to be a health hazard. The most stable isotope is Rn-222 which has a half-life of 3.8 days and is used in radiotherapy. Radon gas can accumulate in buildings, and drinking water, and cause lung cancer *, causing potentially 20,000 deaths in the European Union each year. Radon is a significant contaminant that impacts indoor air quality worldwide.
Notable characteristics
Essentially chemically inert, but radioactive, radon is the heaviest noble gas and one of the heaviest gases at room temperature. (The heaviest known gas is Uranium hexafluoride, UF6.) At standard temperature and pressure radon is a colorless gas but when it is cooled below its freezing point it has a brilliant phosphorescence which turns yellow as the temperature is lowered and orange-red at the temperature air liquefies.
Natural radon concentrations in Earth's atmosphere are so low that radon-rich water in contact with the atmosphere will continually lose radon by volatilization. Hence, ground water has a higher concentration of Rn-222 than surface water. Likewise, the saturated zone of a soil frequently has a higher radon content than the unsaturated zone due to diffusional losses to the atmosphere.
More on [ Radon ]
Environmental :: Construction and Maintenance
Occupational Health and Safety
Radon :: Elements
Indoor Air Quality :: Air Quality
Health Physics and Radiological Health :: Environmental Health
Drinking Water :: Water Resources
EPA commits to review radon emissions - Canon City Daily Record
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:47:57 -0000
EPA commits to review radon emissionsCanon City Daily Record“This is happening here because radon is an issue here.” Reid Rosnick, of the EPA's Radiation Protection Division in Washington DC, was in attendance and ...and more »
Some Clark County Homes Show High Radon Levels - KLAS-TV
Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:51:45 -0000
Some Clark County Homes Show High Radon LevelsKLAS-TVTesting of homes in Clark County showed that 8 percent of homes have high radon levels. Radon, which is radioactive, is found in soil, rocks and water and ...and more »
Radon emission rate increases as Cotter impoundments dry - Canon City Daily Record
Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:33:53 -0000
Radon emission rate increases as Cotter impoundments dryCanon City Daily RecordA review of radon emission regulations for uranium mill tailings impoundments will be discussed. The meeting will be from 6-9 pm Tuesday at Quality Inn and ...and more »
Houses tested for radon gas level - BBC News
Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:16:38 -0000
Houses tested for radon gas levelBBC NewsNearly 2500 households in Broxtowe received free test for radon gas after an offer from the borough council. Radon is a naturally occurring gas, ...and more »
Surgeon General calls for healthy indoor air quality at home - Examiner.com
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:02:16 -0000
Examiner.comSurgeon General calls for healthy indoor air quality at homeExaminer.comThird, implement a home radon barrier in high radon areas of the country. Radon migration from the soil to the interior of a home can be effectively ...and more »
Small fee for radon tests beginning in July - North Lake Tahoe Bonanza
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:20:45 -0000
Small fee for radon tests beginning in JulyNorth Lake Tahoe BonanzaIt's radon, and it could be in your home. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas created by the decay of uranium, can seep into homes through ...and more »
AARST - American Association of Radon Scientists and technologists. AARST is a voluntary professional association which serves those individuals engaged in the research, testing, measurement, and remediation of radon.
EPA Publications on Indoor Radon - Complete publications list, descriptions and links. Informative EPA Guides for citizens, consumers, home buyers and sellers, physicians, and tenants. Radon prevention in construction, schools. Measurement protocols. Links to regional Radon Offices.
Meta Description: [ Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects. Over the past several decades, our exposure to indoor air pollution is believed to have increased due to a variety of factors, including the con... ]
How Stuff Works: Radon - Informative article about how radon forms and why it is so dangerous. Comparison of radon test devices. Useful links.
Meta Description: [ In places where uranium is common in the soil, radon is a popular topic of discussion. Even though radon is ]
Indoor Air - Radon - US EPA information resources and links about this gas, its health effects, and its control.
Meta Description: [ Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.
Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. Radon can be found all over the U.S. You should test for radon. Testing is the only way ... ]
Integrated Environmental Management - Informative primer on radon, its progeny, measurement and risks. Extensive information on radioactivity and radiation, exposure and risks.
Natural Radioactivity - The Radiation Information Network (Idaho State U). Primordial, cosmogenic and man-made radiation sources. Radon accounts for 56% of the total effective dose to people in the US. Radioactivity in soil, building materials, and human bodies.
Radon - The Invisible Intruder - Report from the Office of New York State Attorney General (1996) on the dangers of radon, testing, tips on reducing radon and selecting a contractor.
Radon Progeny - A chart listing all of the decay products of radon gas in their order of appearance. Atomic mass, atomic numbers and the energy in MeV of the released alpha radiation.
Radon Project of Columbia University and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. - Uses information about location of home, and house construction, to suggest whether or not to test for radon.
Residential Radon and Lung Cancer Study - The latest and most substantial study ever on the link between radon and lung cancer (May, 2000) proves that residential radon causes cancer even at the low levels in homes. At the EPA's 4 pCi/L action limit, the lung cancer risk to women increases by 50%.
Risk Assessment of Radon in Drinking Water - The National Academy of Sciences report (1999) compares the risks of radon in air and water. Full report can be read online, or purchased.
UIC - Radiation and Life - Illustrated primer on radiation all around us. Origins and types of radiation. Ionising, cosmic, background and man-made radiation. Radon contributes 48% of the radiation dose to people in Australia. Uranium Information Center, 1998.
Uranium - The Deadliest Metal - A detailed paper on uranium, its radioactive products, mining, and radiation risks to people issued by the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (1992). The health risks even at the low radon levels in homes.
Uranium 238 Decay Chain - Short primer on U238 decay through radon to stable lead, radioactive half times of elements. Chart of the decay chain with half times and alpha or beta radiation.
USGS Radon Information - U.S. Geological Survey site on radon in earth, air and water. Site resources include educational information on radon, and multiple maps on the geologic and geographic occurrence of radon in the United States.
Virtual Hospital: Radon Occurrence and Health Risk - Comprehensive article on radon. Radon progeny, the decay chain and radiation. Lung cancer risks. Occupational and residential limits. Geographic radon potential. Waterborne radon. (June 1999)
Meta Description: [ Virtual Hospital was a digital library of health information in pediatrics, paediatrics, and radiology for pediatric education and radiology education ]
Western Regional Radon Training Center - Provides certification and continuing education classes that meet National Radon Proficiency Program. Located in Colorado Springs, CO.
Meta Description: [ Accredited radon training for certification of radon measurement and mitigation professionals. ]
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