Unraveling the mysteries of radon:
exploring its impact on health and
environment
Abstract:
This work explores the risks and potential
applications of radon gas. Radon, a
colorless and odorless gas that originates
from the breakdown of radium in soil and
rock, can seep into buildings and
accumulate to dangerous levels. The health
effects of radon exposure are a major
concern, particularly the increased risk of
lung cancer for both smokers and non-
smokers. The research emphasizes
Colombia's research on radon-induced
lung cancer and explores how radon
detection can be used to monitor seismic
and volcanic activity. Additionally, there´s
a review of the global impact of radon on
lung cancer rates, emphasizing its
significance in countries like the United
States, Canada, and Australia. The
concluding remarks advocate for public
education and stricter building regulations
to mitigate radon contamination and
improve indoor air quality.
Keywords: Lung cancer, Radon, Radium
decay.
Introduction
Radon is a chemical element that makes part
of the noble gases, is colorless, odorless,
tasteless. It is formed in soil and rock, comes
from the breakdown of radium, which is itself
part of a larger decay series starting from
uranium. This decay series is found throughout
the Earth's crust. Radon gas can escape from
rocks and soil and enter the air we breathe.
Radon has a large series of isotopes; among
them there is Radon 222, which has an
approximate life of 3,8 days and because of its
duration it’s not considerate a risk for the
health when breathing it. this constitutes
almost the 80% of the whole radon that exists
in the environment.
Presence of radon in our environment
Homes:
While homes are often seen as sanctuaries, a
hidden threat can lurk within, radon gas. This
colorless, odorless gas can seep into homes
through cracks and foundations, accumulating
to concerning levels, despite of the fact that it
is ever-present in our environment, radon can
seep into homes, accumulating to concerning
levels.
This gas is denser than the air, which is the
reason of its high concentration in the lowest
floors, this phenomenon explains the elevated
concentrations of radon typically observed in
basements compared to upper floors The
increased ease of radon ingress from the
underlying soil contributes significantly to this
disparity. Uranium is highly related to this gas
due that it comes from the breakdown of this
element. Consequently, some countries
incorporate radon exposure potential into their
construction planning processes. Maps are
generated to illustrate these variations in radon
risk across different regions. In accordance
with the ICRP recommendations radon activity
concentration should not exceed 300 Bq m−3.
Caves
Caves, with their captivating beauty and historical whispers, ha
Surveys on radon in the air of caves in several
countries have been performed to study the
radon levels and relate their contribution to
health implications for tourists, tourist guides,
and cave maintenance workers. However, the
values of radon concentration in caves and
mines in many cases significantly exceed
recommended limits. Numerous studies have
found that radon concentrations in
underground spaces fluctuate in a very wide
range. In most natural caves, radon
concentrations range from 0.5 to 30 kBq m-3,
the recommendation being 1.5 kBq m-3 .
Contamination with Radon
Radon contamination is one of the greatest
challenges we face today, especially in areas
with uranium-rich soils or in mountainous
regions where radon concentrations can
accumulate in enclosed spaces. As it decays,
radon produces radioactive particles that can
be easily inhaled and lodge in the lungs.
Frequent exposure to radon, particularly in
poorly ventilated indoor spaces, significantly
increases the risk of lung cancer, even in non-
smokers. In fact, radon is estimated to be the
cause of most lung cancer cases worldwide
annually. This is not excluding that the
combination of radon exposure and smoking
substantially increases the risk of developing
lung cancer.
In addition to addressing indoor radon levels,
it is crucial to educate the general population
about radon risks and promote building
construction and design practices that reduce
radon entry from the soil. Implementing a
series of effective tests, proper containment,
public education, can likely mitigate radon
contamination on human health and improve
indoor air quality.
Side effects of Radon in Colombia
In every part of world its usual to Radon, so
now, does that have side effects?
Colombia has been doing research to find out
multiple diseases related to Radon.
One of the most closely related was lung
cancer, caused by 222Rn (Radon) in
residential sites. But why does this happen?
During the presence and the decay of 222Rn, it
produces radioactive particles, in the Radon
case, producing only alpha particles which
causes a fast degradation in the whole body,
but specially in the lungs, because the
breathing system is the first entry of gases
onto the body, A study made to take the half-
life lost estimated attributable to lung cancer
related deaths linked to residential radon was
11,3% (PPYLL) related to deaths caused by
these environmental risk factors in Colombia,
showed that the total of PPYLLs for this cause
were 8.469.
Uses of radon in Colombia.
Usually, the radon is trapped on the soil, so in
Colombia the radon presence has been
monetarized several times, to take
measurements, with that research there was
found that there's a possibility to use the radon
and carbon dioxide to determine the seismic
and volcanic behavior.
The soil emissions were taken in a central part
of Colombia, named Nevado del Ruiz volcano
(NRV), cerro Machin volcano (CMV) a zone
starting a reactivation process and coffee axes
a seismic place.
Three networks were deployed, with a total of
16th stations. NRV zone showed the highest
values of radon emission, followed by CMV
and finally CA. Temporal changes of radon
and CO2 emissions were detected for CA and
CMV, related with seismic activity. Although
NRV showed stability during the studied
period, in agreement with steady tendency in
radon emissions, high levels of radon emission
were detected. It may be related with the level
of activity of NRV, which is still in active
stage, and probably there is a delay effect on
its activity, implying a future increase activity.
Lung cancer caused by radon in different
parts of the world:
Lung cancer caused by radon exposure is a
serious issue worldwide, although its
prevalence and impact vary depending on
geographical location and local conditions.
Radon is seen as the second leading cause of
lung cancer in the United States and Canada,
after smoking, accounting for an estimated IN COLOMBIA, 2016. Value in Health
21,000 deaths each year in the USA and 16% Regional Issues, 19.
of cases in Canada. In other European https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vhri.2019.08.315
countries such as Germany and the United
Kingdom, the situation is similar, with radon
contributing to a significant percentage of lung B, J. M. L. (2009). RADON AND CO2
cancer cases in these nations. EMISSIONS IN DIFFERENT
GEOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS AS A
In the Eastern part of the globe, circumstances
TOOL FOR MONITORING VOLCANIC
are no different. In Australia, radon is a
AND SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN CENTRAL
growing concern, specifically in areas like the
PART OF COLOMBIA. Boletin de Geología,
Blue Mountains, where it is estimated that
31.
between 10% and 20% of lung cancer cases in
Australia are related to radon. In the Asian
continent, countries like China and Japan are
showing increased attention to this problem. Giraldo-Osorio, A., Ruano-Ravina, A., Rey-
The rise of urbanization and construction of Brandariz, J., Arias-Ortiz, N., Candal-Pedreira,
buildings contribute to a higher risk of radon C., & Pérez-Ríos, M. (2022). Tendencias en la
exposure in these environments. mortalidad por cáncer de pulmón en
Colombia, 1985-2018. Revista Panamericana
Conclusion de Salud Pública, 46.
https://doi.org/10.26633/rpsp.2022.127
Radon gas presents a significant health
risk due to its ability to accumulate in
buildings and contribute to lung cancer,
even in non-smokers. While Colombia's
research offers valuable prospects into this
risk, mitigating radon exposure requires a
multi-pronged approach. Educating people
about testing and mitigation strategies is
crucial. Besides, stricter building codes
that address radon entry from the soil can
significantly reduce indoor radon levels.
By implementing these measures, we can
create safer living environments and
improve public health outcomes on a
global scale. The potential application of
radon detection for monitoring seismic and
volcanic activity offers a promising avenue
for further exploration.

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