Radon miners exposed

The histological types of lung cancer seen to excess in uranium miners reflect those in the population at large (Masse, 1984). These occur almost entirely in bronchial airways. Approximately 207 are adenocarcinomas which occur in peripheral bronchioles (Spencer, 1977) where there are no basal cells. Squamous cell cancers predominate in miners exposed early in life to relatively low concentrations of radon daughters (Saccomanno et aJL., 1982). These are considered likely to arise from the secretory small mucous granular cells which undergo cell division and extend to the epithelial surface (Masse, personal communication). Division of these cells is accelerated after irritation by toxicants such as cigarette smoke or infectious diseases (Trump et a L., 1978). 

Radford,E.P., and K.G. St.Clair Renard, Lung Cancer in Swedish Iron Miners Exposed to Low Doses of Radon Daughters, The New England Journal of Medicine, 310 1485 (1984). 

Radford, E. P. and K. G. St. Clair Renard, Lung cancer in Swedish iron miners exposed to low doses of radon daughters, New Engl. J. Med. 310 1485-1494 (1984). 

Welders are typically exposed to a complex mixture of dust and fume of metallic oxides, as well as irritant gases, and are subject to mixed-dust pneumoconiosis with possible loss of pulmonary function this should not be confused with benign pneumoconiosis caused by iron oxide. Although an increased incidence of lung cancer has been observed among hematite miners exposed to iron oxide, presumably owing to concomitant radon gas exposure, there is no evidence that iron oxide alone is carcinogenic to man or animals. ... 

Roscoe R et al Lung cancer mortality among nonsmoking uranium miners exposed to radon daughters.262 629, 1989... 

Samet JM. 1993. The disease of uranium miners and others underground miners exposed to radon. In Rom WN, ed. Environmental and occupational medicine. Boston, MA Little Brown and Company. 

Other human consequences of radon exposure include cataracts, nephritis, and dermatitis. Congenital malformations and spontaneous abortions have also been reported in miners exposed to significant concentrations of radon. 

Archer V. 1980. Epidemiologic studies of lung disease among miners exposed to inaeased levels of radon daughters. In Rom W, Archer V, eds. Health implications of new energy technologies. Ann Arbor, Ml Ann Arbor Science, 13-22. 

The available epidemiological data of studies of underground miners exposed to radon decay products provide a direct assessment of lung cancer... 

Roscoe, R.X, Steeland, K., Halperin, W.E., Beaumont XX, and Waxweiler R.X (1989). Lung cancer mortality among nonsmoking uranium miners exposed to radon daughters. Journal of the American Medical Association, 262, pp. 629-633. 

Steinhausler (1987) and Martell (1987) review the dosimetric models and related model studies. Their view is that there are still very large uncertainties in the existing data and in the extrapolation from the exposure and response data for underground miners and experimental animals to the health effects of the radon progeny levels to which the general public is exposed. B.L. Cohen (1987) describes his work to relate radon measurements with lung cancer rates for various geographical areas to test the concept of a dose threshold. 

Radon 222 and its decay products, Rn-d, are well known as among the most powerful carcinogenic agents to which human beeings are exposed as members of the general public (e.g. indoor exposure), as a consequence of occupation (e.g. uranium miner) or as part of... 

The rate and quantity of radon and uranium contributed to waters exposed to mineralized outcrops and the subsequent mobility of these elements in the present day environment has not been previously documented. This paper presents the results from leaching experiments carried out on uranium-enriched Horton Group sandstones in the Windsor area of Nova Scotia. Understanding of these processes is important both to environmental and exploration geochemistry. 

The health effects associated with radon, as well as sources and mitigation measures, are discussed in detail in several National Research Council reports (1988, 1991), in the book edited by Nazaroff and Nero (1988), and in the International Commission on Radiological Protection Report (1994). Initial risk assessments were based on data from underground miners who were exposed to relatively high levels of radon and its progeny. However, there has been considerable controversy over the extrapolation to lower levels in homes [e.g., see summaries by Nazaroff and Teichman (1990) and Peto and Darby (1994)]. 

Emitted by heavy atoms, such as uranium, radium, radon, and plutonium (to name a few), alpha particles are helium nuclei, making them the most massive kind of radiation. Alpha radiation can cause a great deal of damage to the living cells it encounters, but has such a short range in tissue (only a few microns) that external alpha radiation cannot penetrate the dead cells of the epidermis to irradiate the living cells beneath. If inhaled, swallowed, or introduced into open wounds, however, alpha radiation can be very damaging. In nature, alpha radiation is found in rocks and soils as part of the minerals, in air as radon gas, and dissolved in water as radium, uranium, or radon. Alpha emitters are also found in nuclear power plants, nuclear weapons, some luminous paints (radium may be used for this), smoke detectors, and some consumer products. Objects and patients exposed to alpha radiation may become contaminated, but they do not become radioactive. 

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