Indoor radon: deadliest pollutant

Journal Article · Fri Apr 29 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6586344

Pool, R

Radon in individual homes may be the greatest source of radiation that people are exposed to during a lifetime. In areas where radon concentrations in homes are high, people may be exposed to more radiation than were the Russian people living in the vicinity of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Studies indicate that the radon exposure contributes to 5000 to 20,000 deaths per year from lung cancer and that smoking may have a lethal interaction with the radon exposure. One study found an average annual concentration of radon in living spaces of 1.5 picocuries per liter. 7% of U.S. homes were found to have a radon concentration above the 4 picocuries per liter level set by the Environmental Protection Agency, and 1 - 3% of the homes have levels above 8 picocuries. Some ways are described for changing the air pressure in a house so that air is not constantly drawn from the permeable soil where the radon originates.

• OSTI ID: 6586344
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 240; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HOUSES
NONMETALS
POLLUTION
RADON
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS