Study the effects of inhalation of Tskaltubo mineral-radon waters on experimental animals

Abstract

Radon balneotherapy is a traditional approach involving the use of radon sources for balneological procedures. Despite numerous studies on the impact of radon on the body, the safety of using radon for medical purposes remains uncertain. While there is a clearly defined upper limit of the dose rate to achieve a radioadaptive response, the lower limit for this hormetic effect is still inconclusive. Current beliefs suggest that the minimum effective therapeutic radon concentrations are as follows: 200 Bq/l for water baths and 700 Bq/l for inhalation of radon and its products. However, in laboratory rat studies, hormetic responses were observed at significantly lower doses of radon exposure (37 Bq/m3). To address this issue, we conducted experiments on laboratory rats, exposing them to a continuously dosed radon exposure not exceeding 50 Bq/m3. The level of inhalation-assimilated radon over 3 months was determined by measuring the presence of one of its decay products, lead-210, in flat bones. This radioisotope was analyzed using a Canberra gamma spectrometer equipped with a highly sensitive germanium detector. The results obtained indicated that at such a level of radon exposure, the hormetic response could not be attributed to radiation-induced effects.