Abstract
Radon concerns the international scientific community from the early twentieth century, initially as radium emanation and nearly the second half of the century as a significant hazard to human health. The initial brilliant period of its use as medicine was followed by a period of intense concern for its health effects. Miners in Europe and later in the U.S were the primary target groups surveyed. Nowadays, there is a concrete evidence that radon and its progeny can cause lung cancer (1). Human activities may create or modify pathways increasing indoor radon concentration compared to outdoor background. These pathways can be controlled by preventive and corrective actions (2). Indoor radon and its short-lived progeny either attached on aerosol particles or free, compose an air mixture that carries a significant energy amount [Potential Alpha-Energy Concentration (PAEC)]. Prior research at that topic focused on the exposure on PAEC and the dose delivered by the human body or tissues. Special mention was made to the case of water workers due to inadequate data. Furthermore, radon risk assessment and relevant legislation for the dose delivered by man from radon and its progeny has been also reviewed.
Highlights
Occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) are present in human radiation environment
Studies of underground miners Bale in 1951 [15] reported that lung cancer could occur due to inhaled alpha particles of radon progeny
For future constructions: (a) a design level be used to aid the relevant authorities in establishing regulations, standards, or codes of construction practices for circumstances under which the design level might otherwise be exceeded; the design level be an effective dose equivalent of 10 mSv per annum, which for practical purposes, may be taken as equivalent to an annual average radon gas concentration of 200 Bq/m3; (b) information be provided to those involved in the construction of new buildings, as relevant, on possible radon exposure levels, and on preventive measures which could be taken
Summary
Reviewed by: Christos Efstathiou, Masaryk University, Czech Republic Yongxuan Gao, Natural Heritage Institute, USA Mutlu Içhedef, Ege University, Turkey. Radon concerns the international scientific community from the early twentieth century, initially as radium emanation and nearly the second half of the century as a significant hazard to human health. Human activities may create or modify pathways increasing indoor radon concentration compared to outdoor background. These pathways can be controlled by preventive and corrective actions [2]. Indoor radon and its short-lived progeny either attached on aerosol particles or free, compose an air mixture that carries a significant energy amount [Potential Alpha-Energy Concentration (PAEC)]. Radon risk assessment and relevant legislation for the dose delivered by man from radon and its progeny has been reviewed
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