• Radium is a decay product of uranium and thorium. (wikipedia.org)
  • Radon generating thorium oxide. (theodoregray.com)
  • Radon is one of the decay products of thorium, and there will always be some radon gas trapped in the tube. (theodoregray.com)
  • The concentration should be fairly constant, because thorium has a very long half-life while radon has a very short one: There should by now exist in this tube an equilibrium concentration of radon, which perhaps some helpful reader will calculate for me (necessary information: ca. 0.5g of thorium oxide in ca. 0.5cc volume tube). (theodoregray.com)
  • The source of this tube, Gillian Pearce, reports that thorium oxide is a better source of radon than is pure thorium metal (which I have much more of), because the radon can't escape from the metal and remains trapped there as it decays. (theodoregray.com)
  • Since you asked on your radon page: by my calculations, you have about 5.2 * 10^-17 grams of radon in your tube of thorium oxide. (theodoregray.com)
  • Since the radon-220 lifetime is about 56 seconds while that of thorium-232 is about 1.4 billion years, there really ain't much radon in there. (theodoregray.com)
  • Radon seeps into houses as a result of the decay of radium, thorium or uranium ores underground and varies greatly from location to location. (jlab.org)
  • Thorium has a half-life of 77 000 years and decays into radium-226, which decays into the gas radon-222. (i-sis.org.uk)
  • Homes built on soil rich in radium, thorium and uranium tend to have higher radon levels since radon is produced when these elements decay. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Radon (222Rn) released into the air decays to 210Pb and other radioisotopes and the levels of 210Pb can be measured. (wikipedia.org)
  • The radon decays to form solid radioisotopes which form coatings on the inside of pipework. (wikipedia.org)
  • Uranium decays or breaks down very slowly into other elements including radium and radon. (healthvermont.gov)
  • Over billions of years, uranium decays into radium, and eventually into radon. (healthvermont.gov)
  • Although it has a relatively short half-life , radon decays into longer lived, solid, radioactive elements which can collect on dust particles and be inhaled as well. (jlab.org)
  • Radium is a solid produced when uranium decays. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • Radon is an alpha-particle emitter that decays with a half-life of 3.8 d into a short-lived series of progeny that have been referred to historically as radon daughters but are now more often termed radon-decay products or radon progeny ( Figure 1-1 ). (nationalacademies.org)
  • Radon gas decays into radioactive particles. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Note that exposure to smoke at the same time as radon and radon daughters will increase the harmful effect of the radon. (wikipedia.org)
  • 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. (wikipedia.org)
  • Mean cumulative doses were 45 millisievert for whole-body external ionizing radiation exposure and 172 milligray for lung dose from radon decay products. (cdc.gov)
  • In this post, we will discuss the ways to know if you're at risk of radon exposure and outline preventive measures you can take to keep your household safe. (billy.com)
  • The first step in determining your risk of radon exposure is to understand the risk factors associated with it. (billy.com)
  • Testing your home is the most effective way to determine if you are at risk of radon exposure. (billy.com)
  • One of the best ways to know if you're at risk of radon exposure is to interpret your radon test results correctly. (billy.com)
  • Continuous awareness and vigilance are crucial when it comes to radon exposure. (billy.com)
  • We examined how North American residential radon exposure varies by modern environmental design, occupant behaviour and season. (nature.com)
  • Regression analyses indicates that the modern North American Prairie residential environment displays exceptionally high and worsening radon exposure, with more recent construction year, greater square footage, fewer storeys, greater ceiling height, and reduced window opening behaviour all associated with increased radon. (nature.com)
  • Thus, hazardous radon exposure is largely an anthropogenic environmental health issue. (nature.com)
  • Thus, radon exposure represents a readily preventable cause of the most lethal and common cancer type, and is a priority area of public health intervention and cancer prevention. (nature.com)
  • Evidence on radon and is now available from about 20 epidemiologic studies of underground miners, including 11 studies that provided quantitative information on the exposure-response relationship between radon and lung-cancer risk (Lubin and others 1995). (nationalacademies.org)
  • OBJECTIVES--To find whether a relation exists between estimated levels of exposure to radon and its progeny and mutations in hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) and glycophorin A in a cohort of former uranium miners. (bmj.com)
  • Radiation exposures underground at Radium Hill were estimated from historical radon gas measures with a job exposure matrix. (bmj.com)
  • The second most common risk factor for lung cancer in the United States is exposure to radon, particularly when combined with cigarette smoking. (healthywomen.org)
  • Lung cancer risk increases when radon levels are present at high levels in the home and exposure occurs over a long time, according to the American Cancer Society. (healthywomen.org)
  • The primary source of exposure to radon is indoor or household air. (orst.edu)
  • Long-term exposure to radon and radon daughters in air increases your chances of getting lung cancer. (orst.edu)
  • This usually occurs within a few days or weeks after exposure to radon. (orst.edu)
  • Cancer due to radon exposure takes several years before effects become apparent (2). (orst.edu)
  • Radon gas is odorless, tasteless, colorless and is most commonly known to promote lung cancer in residential exposure cases. (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • Some areas of the world face a greater risk of radon exposure than others. (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • If you find that your home has a dangerous amount of radon exposure, then you can begin mitigating that danger . (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • While the potential health risks of radon are very low in small doses, prolonged or high level exposure can lead to serious health concerns - including lung cancer. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Scientists estimate that between 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States are directly linked to radon exposure each year. (erieinsurance.com)
  • However, since there is no known safe level of exposure to radon, the EPA recommends that homeowners consider remediating the problem for radon levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Radon testing is the best way to accurately determine your household radon exposure. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Public Health Tracking Program (EPHTP) to investigate the merits (opportunity, cost and value) of developing public health indicators associated with residential exposure to naturally occurring radon gas. (cdc.gov)
  • Subspecialists should be provided specific information about NP radium exposure. (cdc.gov)
  • Understanding how indoor radon varies during the year reveals the best time to test to avoid underestimating exposure. (cdc.gov)
  • The primary exposure to radon is through inhalation of air inside buildings. (cdc.gov)
  • 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. (wikipedia.org)
  • Workers were exposed to high concentrations of uranium, radium, and their decay products, as well as gamma radiation and ambient radon decay products. (cdc.gov)
  • However, since radon is a gas, it is easily inhaled and living tissue is directly exposed to the radiation. (jlab.org)
  • Human-made buildings can artificially concentrate radioactive radon gas of geologic origin, exposing occupants to harmful alpha particle radiation emissions that damage DNA and increase lung cancer risk. (nature.com)
  • Radon gas in buildings is the no. 1 radiation source, but is also the factor that we can do most to manage! (swegon.com)
  • The article, titled "What's Lurking in Your Countertop," by Kate Murphy, focused on granite countertops and whether they emit unhealthy levels of radon and radiation. (stoneworld.com)
  • First, we need to emphasize that, in order to reach that level of radon in Ms. Sugarman's home, assuming an average home of 2,000 square feet, her countertop would have to emit 66,800 becquerels of radiation per square meter of countertop per hour. (stoneworld.com)
  • Dr Jayaratne, who is also a member of QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), said that natural ions in the air were mainly created by ionisation due to two processes - radiation from the trace gas radon in air and cosmic radiation from space. (phys.org)
  • Radiation doses to nearby organs were estimated on the basis of bilateral use in an adult of 50 mg of radium sulfate in a 0.5-mm platinum capsule for 12 minutes per session for three sessions. (cdc.gov)
  • 2. Veterans who received NP radium treatments should be provided access to the Ionizing Radiation Registry maintained by the VA and to priority medical care at VA medical facilities. (cdc.gov)
  • Editorial Note: Nasopharyngeal radium was one of several radiation treatments used to treat benign conditions before 1950. (cdc.gov)
  • For these reasons, there is some concern as to the amount of radon present within homes. (jlab.org)
  • Research shows that smokers are almost seven times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers when exposed to the same amount of radon. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Because uranium minerals emit radon gas, and their harmful and highly radioactive decay products, uranium mining is considerably more dangerous than other (already dangerous) hard rock mining, requiring adequate ventilation systems if the mines are not open pit. (wikipedia.org)
  • Over billions of years, these two elements slowly change form and produce decay products such as radium and radon. (healthvermont.gov)
  • Rensselear Polytechnic Institute that it was the decay products of radon, and not radon, that delivered the pertinent dose to lung cells (Harley 1952, 1953, 1980). (nationalacademies.org)
  • Maps of average radon levels in houses are available, to assist in planning mitigation measures. (wikipedia.org)
  • Radon occurs naturally as a result of decay of radioactive elements in soil and it can accumulate in houses built on areas where such decay occurs. (wikipedia.org)
  • 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. (wikipedia.org)
  • Radium is a radioactive metal that can be found at varying levels throughout Vermont and the entire Earth-in soil, water, rocks, plants and food. (healthvermont.gov)
  • Radon comes from natural deposits of uranium in soil, rock and water. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • As radon gas moves up through the soil, it can be drawn into a home through differences in air pressure . (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • Either health risk is substantially less than radon gas collecting in homes through the soil. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • Radon is a radioactive gas found in the earth's rocks and soil. (healthywomen.org)
  • It has been estimated that roughly 1 gram of radium is found in every square mile of top soil on Earth. (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • Radon gas that is created during radioactive decay of uranium is released into the surrounding soil. (cdc.gov)
  • Background levels of radon in outdoor air are generally quite low, but radon levels can vary based on location and soil geology. (cdc.gov)
  • Lucas cells can determine thoron (radon-220) and hence radon/thoron ratios . (finderschoice.com)
  • Sensitive to geochemical trace levels necessary for radon in lake water and for radon-thoron isotope ratios . (finderschoice.com)
  • Bale learned of this thesis when he visited the Health and Safety Laboratory of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, where Harley had done his work, and he confirmed the calculations of lung dose from radon and thoron. (nationalacademies.org)
  • The concern is the possible inhalation and/or ingestion of scale particles contaminated with radium-226 and possibly other radioactive material that may become airborne during welding, cutting or reaming of pipe containing the radioactive scale. (osha.gov)
  • During the decay process, alpha particles start to be emitted, turning the radium into radon gas. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • You inhale these particles into your lungs when you breathe the air that contains radon. (erieinsurance.com)
  • These tests measure radon in units called picocuries per liter (pCi/L). (billy.com)
  • Approximately 90 percent of 275 groundwater samples had radon-222 concentrations that were greater than the proposed alternative maximum contaminant level of 300 picocuries per liter. (usgs.gov)
  • However, background levels of radon in outdoor air are generally quite low, about 0.003 to 2.6 picocuries of radon per liter of air (2). (orst.edu)
  • Lynn Sugarman, a Lake George, NY, resident, told the reporter that radon gas levels in her kitchen were 100 picocuries per liter of air, compared with the EPA's action level of 4 picocuries. (stoneworld.com)
  • Radon is measured in picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if your home has radon levels at or above 4 pCi/L, it's important to fix the problem as soon as possible. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Radon concentration in open air varies between 1 and 100 Bq m−3. (wikipedia.org)
  • If your home's radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher, it's best to take measures to reduce the concentration. (billy.com)
  • If radon gas is emitted by structural materials in the building, and from these only, doubling the rate of ventilation halves the radon concentration. (swegon.com)
  • In the dataset, radon concentration varies from 3.7 Bq m −3 (Becquerels per cubic meter) to 52,958.1 Bq m −3 , with an overall mean of 181.4 Bq m −3 . (cdc.gov)
  • About 35.4% of tests have a radon concentration level equal to or greater than the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) action level 4.0 pCi L −1 (148 Bq m −3 ). (cdc.gov)
  • Temporal variation in radon concentrations was assessed using the overall monthly mean radon concentration. (cdc.gov)
  • Because radium is found in rocks and radon is soluble in water, ground water is particularly rich in radon," he said. (phys.org)
  • Small amounts of radon are sometimes used by hospitals to treat some forms of cancer. (jlab.org)
  • Cracks in the foundation or basement of your home may allow increased amounts of radon to move into your home. (orst.edu)
  • It is the result of the decay of radium-226, which can occur in shale and other types of common rocks. (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • In uranium miners radon has been found to be more carcinogenic in smokers than in non-smokers. (wikipedia.org)
  • Radon itself was initially considered to be the direct cause of the lung-cancer in the miners. (nationalacademies.org)
  • Those studies and several epidemiologic findings before them, continue to support the implementation of regulatory programs to reduce exposures of underground miners to radon and to provide compensation for occupational lung-cancer (Samet 1992). (nationalacademies.org)
  • Mutation rates at the glycophorin A and HPRT loci in uranium miners exposed to radon progeny. (bmj.com)
  • METHODS--A cohort study involving a sample of miners from the Radium Hill uranium mine in South Australia, which operated from 1952 to 1961. (bmj.com)
  • This is known from studies of workers exposed to radon in mines, primarily uranium miners, and from tests on laboratory animals (2). (orst.edu)
  • The indoor radon content depends on activity (radium content) in walls, the airtightness of walling material, surface airtightness, the volume of the indoor space, indoor air change rate, air pressure, etc. (swegon.com)
  • The Nordic countries, for example, have some of the highest indoor radon levels in the world, meaning a value exceeding 200 Bq*/m3. (swegon.com)
  • Indoor radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States (US) after smoking and the number one for lung cancer in non-smokers. (cdc.gov)
  • For context: The EPA reports that the average radon level in American homes is about1.3 pCi/L. In outdoor air, radon levels average around .4 pCi/L - about 10 times less than the action level specified by the EPA. (erieinsurance.com)
  • A small workgroup of interested states--Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin--met on a monthly basis to discuss their efforts and progress in determining the availability, quality, and compatibility of residential radon test data. (cdc.gov)
  • However, unlike tobacco use, radon inhalation is not addictive and effective testing and mitigation techniques exist 15 . (nature.com)
  • Though these homes should absolutely go through regular radon testing and mitigation procedures, the truth is that they're not the only ones. (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • The towns of Misasa, Japan, and Bad Kreuznach, Germany boast radium-rich springs which emit radon, as does Radium Springs, New Mexico. (wikipedia.org)
  • Radon exhausts naturally from the ground, particularly in certain regions, especially but not only regions with granitic soils. (wikipedia.org)
  • Radon comes from the decay of uranium, which is a radioactive element found naturally in the Earth's crust. (healthvermont.gov)
  • Although arising naturally, radon and radon-derived 'daughters' (including 214 Po, 218 Po) can concentrate within the built environment to levels typically not observed in nature. (nature.com)
  • Radon-222, a noble gas resulting from the decay of naturally occurring uranium-238, was the first occupational respiratory carcinogen to be identified. (nationalacademies.org)
  • Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally throughout the world. (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • Radon occurs naturally throughout the entire world. (healthybuilthomes.org)
  • Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is created as part of the natural radioactive decay chain of uranium. (cdc.gov)
  • Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is created during the radioactive decay of uranium. (cdc.gov)
  • The highest levels of radon in rainwater occurs during thunderstorms, and it is hypothesized that radon is concentrated in thunderstorms on account of the atom's positive electrical charge. (wikipedia.org)
  • You can install special fans and venting systems to remove the radon from your house, which may be a good idea if the levels in your geographical area are unusually high. (theodoregray.com)
  • However, even levels below 4 pCi/L can pose a risk, so it's essential to consider radon reduction techniques in any case. (billy.com)
  • There are proven methods to lower the radon levels in your home. (billy.com)
  • Installing a radon mitigation system: This step reduces radon levels by venting the gas out of your home. (billy.com)
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that one in 15 homes in this country has excessive levels of radon. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • High levels of radon have been detected in homes in all 100 North Carolina counties. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • In eastern Wake County, officials estimate that private wells for one in five homes contain excessive levels of radon, uranium or radium. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • To prevent elevated levels of radon in indoor air, there are a number of effective safeguards. (swegon.com)
  • You can also hire a company to come to your home to check radon levels. (healthywomen.org)
  • In indoor locations, such as homes, schools, or office buildings, levels of radon and daughters are generally higher than outdoor levels (2). (orst.edu)
  • In these areas radon levels in outdoor air will generally be higher (2). (orst.edu)
  • High radon levels are possible in homes of any age or location. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Because radon comes from the ground, the highest radon levels can often be found on a home's ground floor or basement. (erieinsurance.com)
  • That's not usually cause for concern, but as these radioactive materials decay, they can contribute to increased radon levels in your home. (erieinsurance.com)
  • What are Normal Levels of Radon in a House? (erieinsurance.com)
  • Radon levels vary by location and can accumulate in structures. (cdc.gov)
  • Radium and radon are important contributors to environmental radioactivity. (wikipedia.org)
  • Another issue to consider is the unusual property of the radioactive decay chain of uranium/radium/radon. (radon.com)
  • Radon (Rn) is a noble gas produced by the radioactive decay of radium, found in uranium ores, phosphate rock, and a number of common minerals (1). (orst.edu)
  • Radon is a by-product of the radioactive decay of radium which is present in minute quantities in rocks and is continually exhaled by the ground. (phys.org)
  • Local contamination from radium-based radioluminescent paints having been improperly disposed of is not unknown. (wikipedia.org)
  • Shortly afterward, Johnston County also started warning residents with private wells of the possibility of radon contamination. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • The North Carolina Radon Program provides information on how to rid wells of the contamination. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • Radon was discovered by Friedrich Ernst Dorn, a German chemist, in 1900 while studying radium 's decay chain. (jlab.org)
  • What is the activity in Curies of the Radon-222 produced by 1 Curie of Radium-226 in one day? (stackexchange.com)
  • Radon's most stable isotope , radon-222, has a half-life of about 3.8 days. (jlab.org)
  • Radon is a noble gas that can be neither seen nor smelled. (swegon.com)
  • Radon is an invisible, odourless noble gas that enters homes in construction materials, domestic water and from the ground. (swegon.com)
  • Radon has now been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC 1988). (nationalacademies.org)
  • Although the progeny of radon are now a well-recognized cause of lung-cancer, radon itself has again become a topic of controversy and public-health concern because it has been found to be a ubiquitous indoor air pollutant to which all persons are exposed (Cole 1993 and Proctor 1995 review the controversy). (nationalacademies.org)
  • Radon is the second-most common cause of lung cancer after smoking. (swegon.com)
  • Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., second only to smoking. (erieinsurance.com)
  • Radon gas is radioactive, and it seeps out of the ground all over the world (more in some places than others), collecting in basements and causing lung cancer. (theodoregray.com)
  • Stay informed about radon risks and local regulations, and be proactive in protecting your family from harmful radon gas. (billy.com)
  • The usual method of measuring radon in indoor air is by means of small track-etch detectors. (swegon.com)
  • radon gas , for example, has been tied to lung cancer. (publicintegrity.org)
  • In North Carolina, officials with the state Department of Health and Human Services estimate that 435 residents will die from radon-related lung cancer in 2020. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • Based on a National Academy of Science report, the EPA estimates that radon in drinking water causes about 168 cancer deaths per year, 89 percent from lung cancer caused by breathing radon released to the indoor air from water and 11 percent from stomach cancer caused by consuming water containing radon. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • nium-214, deliver to target cells in the respiratory epithelium the energy that is considered to cause radon-associated lung-cancer (NRC 1991). (nationalacademies.org)
  • In Sweden, if the radon content of all buildings measured as having a radon level exceeding 200Bq/m3 is reduced, we will ultimately be able to prevent around 200 lung cancer cases a year. (swegon.com)
  • 3. Questions and Answers about Radon and Cancer, National Cancer Institute. (orst.edu)
  • The damage radon causes to your lungs can eventually lead to lung cancer. (erieinsurance.com)
  • 1. Continue the follow-up studies of existing cohorts, and if possible, combine the data from these studies, include noncancer endpoints in the follow-up studies, and evaluate the results of the follow-up studies before considering an additional cancer incidence study of persons who received NP radium treatments. (cdc.gov)
  • RÉSUMÉ Afin d'atteindre les objectifs de santé fixés par le pays pour 2011-2016, une analyse qualitative de l'exposition aux facteurs de risque de cancer au Qatar a été conduite en 2013. (who.int)
  • Les risques de cancer les plus élevés pour les Qatariens proviendraient de facteurs associés aux modes de vie, en particulier l'obésité, la sédentarité et le tabagisme. (who.int)
  • During September 27-28, 1995, a workshop entitled 'Public Health Response to Nasopharyngeal Radium Irradiation' was convened in New Haven, Connecticut, to address issues regarding possible adverse health effects of this former medical treatment. (cdc.gov)
  • The water inside an oil field is often very rich in strontium, barium and radium while seawater is very rich in sulfate so if water from an oil well is discharged into the sea or mixed with seawater the radium is likely to be brought out of solution by the barium/strontium sulfate which acts as a carrier precipitate. (wikipedia.org)
  • Not all granitic regions are prone to high emissions of radon, for instance while the rock which Aberdeen is on is very radium rich the rock lacks the cracks required for the radon to migrate. (wikipedia.org)
  • If your home tests high for radon, don't panic. (billy.com)
  • In some areas of the country the amount of uranium and radium in rock types, such as phosphate rock or granite, is high. (orst.edu)
  • For some patients with higher T stage (ie, T2, some T3), en bloc resections of the gallbladder and portal lymph nodes may be recommended, although this may carry a high morbidity and mortality (similar to bile duct carcinoma). (medscape.com)
  • Although complete surgical resection is the only therapy to afford a chance of cure, en bloc resections of the gallbladder and portal lymph nodes carry a high morbidity and mortality (similar to bile duct carcinoma). (medscape.com)
  • Radon fluoride (RnF) is the only confirmed compound of radon. (jlab.org)
  • the use of this water inside a house is another route allowing radon to enter the house. (wikipedia.org)
  • Water, oil and gas from a well often contain radon. (wikipedia.org)
  • Lucas cells provide the basis of EPA Method 903.1 for radium in water. (finderschoice.com)
  • There was a brief period of time in the early twentieth century during which people thought radon was a good thing, and actually bought products to introduce it into their drinking water. (theodoregray.com)
  • Radon, along with radium and uranium, can also be found in well water. (northcarolinahealthnews.org)
  • Ground water that mixes with water containing radium absorbs radon. (swegon.com)
  • Radon in domestic water is given off when water is run. (swegon.com)
  • There is very limited information on whether radon gas can penetrate the skin, but some radon may be able to pass through the skin when you bathe in water containing radon (2). (orst.edu)
  • Trees act as radon pumps, bringing the gas to the surface and releasing it to the atmosphere through transpiration - a process where water absorbed by the root system is evaporated into the atmosphere from leaves. (phys.org)