One of the most common facts about radon that is being passed around, is that exposure to it is dangerous. While this is true there are a lot of people out there that have no idea just how dangerous it can be. In addition, there are many that believe it’s not a common problem, or one that can happen to them – they don’t seem to believe it can be a problem in their home. That is, of course, until they – or someone in their family – contracts lung cancer and it inspires them to search for answers as to why it all happened.

Common Facts About Radon

Image by the University of Liverpool

Radon is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas which happens to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US and several other countries. It is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. It should also be noted that a combination of exposure to tobacco smoke – or smoking – and radon gas will exponentially increase one’s risk for lung cancer. Of course, these facts about radon are accessible, as one only need to search for more information and they will be presented with an endless swarm of it.

Since radon is difficult to detect due to its properties, one of the only ways to discover whether or not its a problem in a residence or building is to test for it. Many believe that radon testing and mitigation – or the process of ventilation and removal of the gas – are quite expensive. In reality, the associated costs are not all that high – especially when you consider the fact that lung cancer has an extremely high mortality rate. Strictly speaking, it’s worth the cost to prevent or even just lower the risk of such dire health issues.

A lot of this information is already well documented and known, however. Generally, we discuss a lot of this information continuously in order to boost awareness about the problem. This time, instead of covering the same stuff we usually do, we’re going to take a look at many of the little known facts about radon.

Little Known Facts About Radon Gas

These facts will help you become more familiar with the element radon, and its associated dangers or health risks.

• Radon is a common and naturally occuring chemical element, identified as Rn on the periodic table with an atomic number of 86.
• Radon is a radioactive noble gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless, so the only way to discover its presence is to test specifically for it.
• Radon has a melting point of -95 °F (-71 °C) and a boiling point of -79 °F (-61.7 °C).
• If radon is cooled below its freezing point of −96 °F (−71 °C) it will emit a bright radiating yellow luminescence that slowly becomes an orange-red color as its overall temperature lowers.
• Radon is one of the most dense and heaviest gases under normal conditions, which is why testing the lowest level of a residence is always recommended.
• Radon levels in the air are measured by units of radioactivity per volume of air. The most common measurement – used in the United States – measures picocuries per liter of air abbreviated as pCi/L.
• The United States Environmental Protection Agency has clarified that the average indoor level of radon is about 1.3 pCi/L, while the recommended action limit is 4.0 pCi/L. For reference, the “action limit” is the point at which the residence should be outfitted with a ventilation or mitigation system. We recommend taking action if the radon levels are found to be above the average, which is 1.3 pCi/L as opposed to 4.0 pCi/L.
• According to the EPA, the average outdoor radon level is about 0.4 pCi/L.
• The U.S. EPA estimates that about 1 out of every 15 homes in the country are plagued with elevated radon levels.
• Only a few radon compounds have been found, not because they don’t exist but because the radioactive health risks of radon and the associated costs have made it difficult for research to be conducted.
• Two of the most common radioactive elements uranium and thorium, produce radium as a natural decay product, and radium then produces radon. As radon decays, it generates radioactive elements called radon daughters or decay products, and these are what can be so harmful to our health.
• Radon – which is airborne – can enter the lungs where it continues to undergo radioactive decay. While doing so it releases the radon daughters, which become trapped to the inner lining of the lungs. Since the alveolar cells in human lungs do not have a protective coating, the radon daughters attach imparting radioactive energy, resulting in the disruption of DNA in the connected cells. Ultimately, this leads to lung cancer.
• Since radon is so heavy, its decay particles can collect in great amounts, reaching very high concentrations inside buildings. It also means that lower levels of a residence or structure are more susceptible to elevated radon levels.
• There is a remarkably clear connection between exposure to high concentrations of radon and the incidence of lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for more then 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States alone. It is also the second leading cause in many other countries including Canada, UK and more.
• In the 1940s – and 50s – poor ventilation in mines led to extremely prevalent incidents of lung cancer among miners of uranium and other hard rock materials thanks to high radon levels. This was especially true of the Czech Republic and United States, and it lead to the adoption of more efficient ventilation systems for mines around the world. It also serves as direct evidence that radon can be detrimental to our health.
• In the early 20th century, Lead contaminated gold – from gold seeds that were used in radiotherapy which also held some radon – were melted down and made into a small number of jewelry pieces, such as rings, in the U.S. Wearing one of these contaminated jewelry pieces, would lead to a small amount of radioactive skin exposure over time (10 to 100 millirad per day).
• Radon naturally occurs in some hot springs and other spring waters. It can also seep into ground water, and enter a home through a water source. Although, it is a more common problem for homeowners with a well. It should be noted that it’s rare to see dangerous radon levels in a home solely being attributed to a contaminated water supply alone.
• In the United States and Europe there actually exists “radon spas” where people sit for minutes or hours at a time in a high-radon atmosphere, believing that exposure to low doses of radiation will invigorate or energize them.
• The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has classified radon gas as a “known (…) human carcinogen.” The NTP is comprised of several U.S. government agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• Further studies conducted on miners exposed to elevated levels of radon have shown that the deadly gas may also be linked to non-cancerous respiratory diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis. It has yet to be determined whether or not exposure to the kind of levels common in homes can also cause these health issues. However, the American Cancer Society found that people living with higher levels of radon did have a higher risk of dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radon and its progeny as “carcinogenic to humans.”
• In geographical areas where radon is more prevalent, it is actually considered a significant indoor air quality contaminant – because it can seep inside a residence or building and build up so easily.
• The highest average indoor radon concentrations in the United States have been found in Iowa and the Appalachian Mountains area in southeast Pennsylvania. In addition, extremely high radon concentrations have been discovered in Ireland particularly in the town of Mallow, County Cork.

Consider Yourself More Educated Now That You’ve Read These Facts About Radon

If you took the time to read all of those facts about radon, you can now consider yourself more educated on the element, the deadly gas and its associated dangers. We recommend you continue reading more about it, including ways to mitigate the problem should you discover an abundance of radon in your home.

As the age old saying goes, you’re better off safe than sorry. When it comes to lung cancer – especially because of its extremely high mortality rate – you’re better off taking action before there’s a problem. Have your home tested for radon as soon as possible, you won’t regret it.