Radon concentrations were measured with long-term alpha-track radon detectors along with radon scout. Radon gas emanates from the radium content of terrestrial products, like tobacco leaves. Smoking materials contain, beside tobacco, many other additives that may also contain radium traces. These additives aim at exciting smoker’s feeling via chemical reactions, which may be disrupted by alpha ...

Radon is a naturally occurring, colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas. Without testing, its presence is unknown. Using nationally representative data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study, we examined whether the prevalence of school district policies for radon testing and for radon-resistant new construction practices varied by district location in relation to t...

One of the aims of the First Intercomparison on Natural Radioactivity Under Field Conditions was to test different instruments and detectors for the measurement of radon gas and external gamma radiation (dose rate) in filed conditions, where the levels of natural radiation are quite high. The event was organized by the Radon group of University of Cantabria, (Spain) LaRUC, and was held in the e...

Radon is likely the second most common cause of lung cancer after smoking. We estimated the lung cancer risk due to radon using common risk models. Based on national radon survey data, we estimated the population-attributable fraction (PAF) and the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to radon. The exposure-age duration (EAD) and exposure-age concentration (EAC) models were used. The regio...

It is well known that radon and its short-lived progenies have the most impact to the population effective dose from radioactive sources [1]. Precise and accurate radon monitoring results should be the basis for the establishment of the national reference level and implementation of radon action plans. During the period February and March 2015, Laboratory for Radioactivity and Dose Measurements...

OBJECTIVE Iowa has the highest average radon concentrations in the nation, with an estimated 400 radon-induced lung cancer deaths each year. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer death overall. The objectives of this study were (1) to educate the population attending a family medicine office about the dangers of radon, (2) to encourage homeowners to test for radon, (3) to work with t...

The Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory (AEERL) of EPA began a research program to develop and demonstrate radon mitigation alternatives in 1984. This program grew significantly in 1986 with the addition of a Congressional funding supplement. In 1989 a separate Radon Mitigation Branch was established within the Pollution Control Division of AEERL. Radon mitigation research within EPA...

Although radon dose to lungs comes mainly from shortlived radon daughters, most of its estimations for general population is based on the measurements of radon gas concentration instead of radon progeny and acceptance of a constant equilibrium factor between radon and its short-lived decay products. It is so because integrating passive measurements of radon gas concentration are simpler and che...

The national standard for radon (Rn) measurements in the United States is based on Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) prepared at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD. NIST radon standards are hermetically sealed polyethylene capsules, filled with radium (Ra) solution. In preparation of standard reference materials for Rn, it is necessary to understand pr...

Radon detectors are widely used for research and for monitoring indoor and outdoorradon. During some applications, detectors need to be enclosed in barrier bags which arecompletely transparent to radon. In other applications, radon detectors need to beenclosed in barrier bags that are opaque to radon. In certain applications, barrier bagsmay provide resistance to human manipulat...