H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADIATION & NATURE 2 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
WHAT IS RADON? Natural radioactive gas without colour, • smell or taste Product of uranium decay • 3 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADON PRODUCTION For Radon T 1/2 = 3.8 days 4 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADON & LUNG DAMAGE 5 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
WHERE DO WE FIND RADON? High concentration Granit ite e soil 6 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
WHY RADON GOES INSIDE HOUSES? It’s physics!!! Buildings are at a lower pressure than the surrounding air & soil. Radon & other soil gases are drawn into the building. When air is exhausted, outside air enters the building to replace it. Much of the replacement air comes from the underlying soil. 7 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
HOW RADON IS MEASURED? Radioactivity Becquerel ( Bq ) 1 Bq = 1 nucleus decay per second For Radon, we measure the amount of radioactivity in air volume for a specific amount of time! So... how many Bq in a cubic metre of air m 3 ?! For how long?! Radon exposure: ρ tracks / C f ( Bq * h / m 3 ) Radon concentration: exposure /exposition time (Bq / m 3) 8 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADON CONCENTRATION FACTORS The amount of radon changes: o During the day o Between summer and winter o With the air temperature More e Radon: n: Win inter er & Nig ight 9 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADON LEVELS AROUND THE WORLD 10 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADON IN ITALY 11 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADON IN WATER Exposure to radon: 95% from indoor air 1% from drinking water sources Most of this 1% is from inhalation of radon gas released from running water activities, such as bathing, showering and cleaning. Only 0.1% is from swallowing water contaminated with radon gas. 12 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
HEALTH EFFECTS OF RADON Increases the probability of lung cancer x 10 times for smokers Stomach cancer Liver cancer Skin cancer Leukimia 13 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
PROBABILITIES OF CANCER Probability of cancer occured depends on: How much one is exposed? For how long is exposed? The more one is exposed The higher the probabilities 14 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
LUNG CANCER STATISTICS Sc Scie ient ntists ists est estimat imate th that at 15 15.000 000 to to 20 20.000 000 lung lung cancer ancer de deat aths hs in in th the US US are rel elated ed to to rado don. 10 10% of of radon don-re relat ated ed canc cancer er de deaths occur cur among non-smok moker ers. 15 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
RADON DETECTION Measurements are performed with detectors which are left in the house for periods from days to months. Different measurement for every house Many detectors in different rooms The levels are different for every country. The reference level should not exceed 300 Bq/m 3 . Radon in public drinking water supplies should not exceed 100 Bq/l. Public buildings & offices: 500 Bq/m 3 Schools: 400 Bq/m 3 16 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
SOLUTIONS FOR RADON REDUCTION Improve ventilation Underfloor ventilation Sealing floors, walls & cracks Install a radon sump system 17 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
INFORMAZIONE IN ITALIANO http://www.ispesl.it http://www.miam.it/ 18 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
TH THANK ANK YOU OU 19 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
REFERENCE • www.certi ti.i .inf nfo • www.who.in o.int www.canc ncer er.go gov • • www.radon. on.co com • www.ukrad radon.o n.org rg • www.sos osrad radon.o n.org rg www.epa.g .gov • • www.miam.i m.it • www.radon.i on.it • www.ispes pesl.it .it • www.eeae.gr gr 20 H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N
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