The radon problem

Abstract

The importance of the radon problem is illustrated by the fact that the indoor exposure to radon and radon daughters amounts to about 40% of the total effective dose equivalent to which the population is exposed to both, from natural and man made sources. This exposure may increase even further due to new building technologies optimized for energy conservation. Although radon and its decay products are well known to cause lung cancer at high exposure levels, considerable controversy remains about the magnitude of risk due to low-level exposure. Linear extrapolation from the dose-response values of uranium miners who were heavily exposed to these nuclides would suggest that a relevant fraction (10–40%) of lung cancers in the general population are caused by the inhalation of radon daughters. Moreover, the results of monitoring programs in several countries during the past years have revealed that for a small, but not negligible fraction of the population, the lifetime exposure from indoor radon daughters is comparable to, or even exceeds the occupational radon exposure of moderately exposed underground miners still showing a significant excess lung cancer frequency.