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Radon Gas Riddlity in our Environment |
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PP: 241-248 |
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doi:10.18576/jrna/100305
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Author(s) |
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Ahmed Saad Hussein,
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Abstract |
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| Radon is a radioactive gas that has no smell, color, or taste. Radon is produced from the natural radioactive decay of uranium, which is found in all rocks and soils. Radon can also be found in groundwater and natural gas. Radon escapes from the ground into the air, where it decays and produces further radioactive particles called radon progeny. Radon gas can get trapped inside homes and buildings and accumulate in the air. Radon moves up through the ground and can enter a building through cracks in foundations, floors, or walls. It can also be released from building materials and some groundwater. Radon levels are usually highest in basements or crawl spaces. About one-half of the effective doses from natural sources are estimated to be delivered by inhalation of the short-lived radon progeny. Radon progeny is well established as a causative agent of lung cancer and other types of cancers. Owing to this fact, radon is the most popular subject of studies on environmental radioactivity. Most radon-related cancer deaths occur among smokers. Despite the health problems caused by radon gas in a closed environment, it has many benefits that humanity can benefit from.
Radon’s unique properties as a naturally radioactive gas have led to its use as a geophysical tracer for locating buried faults and geological structures, in exploring for uranium, and for predicting earthquakes. Radon has been used as a tracer in the study of the atmospheric transport process. There have been several other applications of radon in meteorology, water research, and medicine. This manuscript summarizes the health effects and the potential benefits of radon and its progeny.
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