H E A L T H E F F E C T S O F R A D O N RADIATION & NATURE 2 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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RADIATION & NATURE

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• Natural radioactive gas without colour,

smell or taste

• Product of uranium decay

WHAT IS RADON?

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RADON PRODUCTION

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For Radon T1/2 = 3.8 days

RADON & LUNG DAMAGE

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WHERE DO WE FIND RADON?

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Granit ite e soil

High concentration

WHY RADON GOES INSIDE HOUSES?

It’s physics!!!

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Buildings are at a lower pressure than the surrounding air & soil. Radon & other soil gases are drawn into the building. When air is exhausted, outside air enters the building to replace it. Much

• f the replacement air comes from the

underlying soil.

HOW RADON IS MEASURED?

Radioactivity Becquerel (Bq)

1 Bq = 1 nucleus decay per second

For Radon, we measure the amount of radioactivity in air volume for a specific amount of time!

So...

how many Bq in a cubic metre of air m3?! For how long?! Radon exposure: ρtracks / Cf (Bq * h / m3 ) Radon concentration: exposure /exposition time

(Bq / m3)

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RADON CONCENTRATION FACTORS The amount of radon changes:

• During the day
• Between summer and winter
• With the air temperature

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More e Radon: n: Win inter er & Nig ight

RADON LEVELS AROUND THE WORLD

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RADON IN ITALY

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RADON IN WATER

Exposure to radon:

• 95% from indoor air
• 1% from drinking water sources

Most of this 1% is from inhalation of radon gas released from running water activities, such as bathing, showering and cleaning. Only 0.1% is from swallowing water contaminated with radon gas.

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HEALTH EFFECTS OF RADON

 Increases the probability of lung cancer  x 10 times for smokers  Stomach cancer  Liver cancer  Skin cancer  Leukimia

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PROBABILITIES OF CANCER Probability of cancer occured depends on:

• How much one is exposed?
• For how long is exposed?

The more one is exposed The higher the probabilities

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LUNG CANCER STATISTICS

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Sc Scie ient ntists ists est estimat imate th that at 15 15.000 000 to to 20 20.000 000 lung lung cancer ancer de deat aths hs in in th the US US are rel elated ed to to rado don. 10 10%

• f
• f

radon don-re relat ated ed canc cancer er de deaths occur cur among non-smok moker ers.

RADON DETECTION

Measurements are performed with detectors which are left in the house for periods from days to months.

• Different measurement for every house
• Many detectors in different rooms

The levels are different for every country. The reference level should not exceed 300 Bq/m3. Radon in public drinking water supplies should not exceed 100 Bq/l.

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Public buildings & offices: 500 Bq/m3 Schools: 400 Bq/m3

SOLUTIONS FOR RADON REDUCTION

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Improve ventilation Sealing floors, walls & cracks Underfloor ventilation Install a radon sump system

INFORMAZIONE IN ITALIANO

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http://www.ispesl.it http://www.miam.it/

TH THANK ANK YOU OU

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REFERENCE

• www.certi

ti.i .inf nfo

• www.who.in
• .int
• www.canc

ncer er.go gov

• www.radon.
• n.co

com

• www.ukrad

radon.o n.org rg

• www.sos
• srad

radon.o n.org rg

• www.epa.g

.gov

• www.miam.i

m.it

• www.radon.i
• n.it
• www.ispes

pesl.it .it

• www.eeae.gr

gr

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