Distribution of airborne radon-222 concentrations in U. S. homes

Journal Article · Fri Nov 21 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3775373· OSTI ID:6966677

Nero, A V; Schwehr, M B; Nazaroff, W W; Revzan, K L

Apparently large exposures of the general public to the radioactive decay products of radon-222 present in indoor air have led to systematical appraisal of monitoring data from U.S. single-family homes; several ways of aggregating data were used that take into account differences in sample selection and season of measurements. The resulting distribution of annual-average radon-222 concentrations can be characterized by an arithmetic mean of 1.5 picocurie per liter (55 becquerels per cubic meter) and a long tail with 1 to 3% of homes exceeding 8 picocuries per liter, or by a geometric mean of 0.9 picocurie per liter and a geometric standard deviation of about 2.8. The standard deviation in the means is 15%, estimated from the number and variability of the available data sets, but the total uncertainty is larger because these data may not be representative. Available dose-response data suggest that an average of 1.5 picocuries per liter contributes about 0.3% lifetime risk of lung cancer and that, in the million homes with the highest concentrations, where annual exposures approximate or exceed those received by underground uranium miners, long-term occupants suffer an added lifetime risk of at least 2%, reaching extraordinary values at the highest concentrations observed.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA
• OSTI ID: 6966677
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 4779; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560161 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUILDINGS
CARCINOMAS
DATA ANALYSIS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISEASES
DISTRIBUTION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
ISOTOPES
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEI
POLLUTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAMPLING
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
VARIATIONS