Radon natural

Radon. Naturally radioactive element (Rn ), the heaviest of the inert gases. It is formed by the... 

Twenty isotopes are known. Radon-22, from radium, has a half-life of 3.823 days and is an alpha emitter Radon-220, emanating naturally from thorium and called thoron, has a half-life of 55.6 s and is also an alpha emitter. Radon-219 emanates from actinium and is called actinon. It has a half-life of 3.96 s and is also an alpha emitter. It is estimated that every square mile of soil to a depth of 6 inches contains about 1 g of radium, which releases radon in tiny amounts into the atmosphere. Radon is present in some spring waters, such as those at Hot Springs, Arkansas. 

Gr. aktis, aktinos, beam or ray). Discovered by Andre Debierne in 1899 and independently by F. Giesel in 1902. Occurs naturally in association with uranium minerals. Actinium-227, a decay product of uranium-235, is a beta emitter with a 21.6-year half-life. Its principal decay products are thorium-227 (18.5-day half-life), radium-223 (11.4-day half-life), and a number of short-lived products including radon, bismuth, polonium, and lead isotopes. In equilibrium with its decay products, it is a powerful source of alpha rays. Actinium metal has been prepared by the reduction of actinium fluoride with lithium vapor at about 1100 to 1300-degrees G. The chemical behavior of actinium is similar to that of the rare earths, particularly lanthanum. Purified actinium comes into equilibrium with its decay products at the end of 185 days, and then decays according to its 21.6-year half-life. It is about 150 times as active as radium, making it of value in the production of neutrons. 

Recently, the natural presence of uranium in many soils has become of concern to homeowners because of the generation of radon and its daughters. 

Radon-222 [14859-67-7] Rn, is a naturally occuriing, iaert, radioactive gas formed from the decay of radium-226 [13982-63-3] Ra. Because Ra is a ubiquitous, water-soluble component of the earth s cmst, its daughter product, Rn, is found everywhere. A major health concern is radon s radioactive decay products. Radon has a half-life of 4 days, decayiag to polonium-218 [15422-74-9] Po, with the emission of an a particle. It is Po, an a-emitter having a half-life of 3 min, and polonium-214 [15735-67-8] Po, an a-emitter having a half-life of 1.6 x lO " s, that are of most concern. Polonium-218 decays to lead-214 [15067-28A] a p-emitter haviag = 27 min, which decays to bismuth-214 [14733-03-0], a p-emitter haviag... 

Commercially pure (< 99.997%) helium is shipped directiy from helium-purification plants located near the natural-gas supply to bulk users and secondary distribution points throughout the world. Commercially pure argon is produced at many large air-separation plants and is transported to bulk users up to several hundred kilometers away by tmck, by railcar, and occasionally by dedicated gas pipeline (see Pipelines). Normally, only cmde grades of neon, krypton, and xenon are produced at air-separation plants. These are shipped to a central purification faciUty from which the pure materials, as well as smaller quantities and special grades of helium and argon, are then distributed. Radon is not distributed commercially. 

Radon gas is formed in the process of radioactive decay of uranium. The distribution of naturally occurring radon follows the distribution of uranium in geological formations. Elevated levels have been observed in certain granite-type minerals. Residences built in these areas have the potential for elevated indoor concentrations of radon from radon gas entering through cracks and crevices and from outgassing from well water. 

Outdoor inhalation exposure is mainly due to traffic, energy production, heating, and natural factors such as pollen and mineral dusts. These outdoor sources of pollution also affect indoor air quality. The indoor concentration is typically 20-70% of the corresponding outdoor concentration. Occasionally the indoor concentrations of an external pollutant (especially radon) may even exceed the concentrations outdoors. ... 

Radiation other titan radon Estimated 360 eaneers per year. Mostly from building materials. Medieal exposure and natural baekground levels not ineluded. 

Radon (Rn) is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. Radon enters buildings from underlying soil and rocks as soil gas is drawn into buildings. 

Rn. a radioactive isotope of radon, is a decay product of naturally occurring uranium-238. Because it is gaseous and chemically... 

Radioactivity The ability possessed by some natural and synthetic isotopes to undergo nuclear transformation to other isotopes, 513 applications, 516-518 biological effects, 528-529 bombardment reactions, 514-516 diagnostic uses, 516t discovery of, 517 modes of decay, 513-514 nuclear stability and, 29-30 rate of decay, 518-520,531q Radium, 521-522 Radon, 528 Ramsay, William, 190 Random polymer 613-614 Randomness factor, 452-453 Raoult s law A relation between the vapor pressure (P) of a component of a solution and that of the pure component (P°) at the same temperature P — XP°, where X is the mole fraction, 268... 

The presence of radiation in the workplace - which is an inevitable consequence of the radioactivity of uranium - requires that additional safety precautions be taken over and above those observed in other similar workplaces. There are generally three sources from which radiation exposure may occur (i) radiation emitted from uranium ore in-situ and/or during handling (ii) airborne radiation resulting from the decay of radon gas released from the ore and uranium dust and (iii) contamination by ore dust or concentrate. Radiation levels around uranium mining and milling facilities are quite low - for the most part only a few times the natural background levels - and they decrease rapidly as the distance from... 

Radon is a naturally occurring, chemically inert, radioactive gas. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is part of the uranium-238 decay series, the direct decay product of radium-226. Radon moves to the earth s surface through tiny openings and cracks in soil and rocks. High concentrations of radon can be found in soils derived from uranium-bearing rocks, such as pitchblende and some... 

The following is a list of recommendations that builders can use to utilize the foundation as a mechanical barrier to radon entry. Foundation walls and floor slabs are often constructed of poured concrete. Plastic shrinkage, and therefore cracking, is a natural function of the drying process of concrete. Many factors, such as the water/cement/aggregate ratio, humidity, and temperature, influence the amount of cracking that occurs in a poured concrete foundation. Cracking may be minimized by... 

This volume represents a collection of papers that provide a considerable amount of recent results and reflect the current level of scientific understanding of radon related problems. However, with the increased public interest and the resulting increased scientific study, it can be expected that there will be many important new findings and our knowledge of the nature and extent of the indoor radon problem will be greatly expanded in the next few years. 

Tanner, A.B., Radon Migration in the Ground a Supplementary Review, in Proc. Natural Radiation Environment III. Conf-780422, (Gesell, T.F., and Lowder, W.M., eds.) pp. 5-56, U.S. Dept, of Commerce, National Technical Information Service, Springfield VA, (1980). 

George, A. C. and Breslin, A. J. The Distribution of Ambient Radon and Radon Daughters in Residential Buildings in the New Jersey - New York Area. Natural Radiation Environmental III, Vol. 2, C0NF-780422, Technical Information Center, U. S. Department of Energy, Springfield, VA (1980). 

Jacobi, W. and Paretzke H.G. 1985, Risk Assessment for Indoor Exposure to Radon Daughters, In Proceedings, Seminar on Exposure to Enhanced Natural RAdiation and Its Regulatory Implications, Maastricht, the Netherlands, March 25-27, Elsvier Science Publisher, Amsterdam. 

Castren, 0., The contribution of bored wells to respiratory radon daughter exposure in Finland. Proc. of Symposium on Natural Radiation Environment, (C0NF- 780422, vol.2.) pp. 1364-1370, Houston, Texas (1978). 

The average annual effective dose equivalent received by a member of the UK population is currently estimated to be 2150 ySv. Of this total, 87% arises from exposure to radiation of natural origin, the largest single contributor being inhalation of the short-lived decay products of radon. This exposure occurs predominantly in the home. 

Sinnaeve, J., Olast, M. and McLaughlin, J., Natural Radiation Exposure Research in the Member States of the European Community State of the Art and Perspectives. Presented at APCA Speciality Conference on Indoor Radon Philadelphia, U.S.A. (Feb. 1986). 

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