Residential exposure to radon is an important cause of lung cancer in the general population. The risks appear consistent with earlier estimates based on data in miners.
Consideration of the equilibrium factor F between the concentration of the radon daughters and the concentration of radon is a part of the evaluation of the measurements of radon daughter concentrations in dwellings when applying limits. Measurements of radon, radon daughters and air exchange rates have been carried out in 225 dwellings in Sweden. The F-factors have been compared with the theoretical model described by Wicke, taking into account the wall effect. The parameters of the model are discussed. The situation of the dwelling and the habits of the occupants can be expected to have the greatest importance for the F-factors although the ventilation rate is usually the most important modifying factor. For low air exchange rates (l less than 0.30 hr-1) the probability that the F-factors were between 0.28 and 0.74 was 95% calculated according to the t-distribution. The arithmetical mean was found to be 0.51. For air exchange rates close to the average rate (0.30 less than l less than 0.60 hr-1), the F-factors were between 0.21 and 0.66 with a mean of 0.43, and for high air exchange rates (l greater than 0.60 hr-1) the F-factors were between 0.21 and 0.47 with a mean value of 0.33.
Beginning in the 16th century, what was later found to be radon was thought to be causing sickness among miners. During the first decades of the 20th century, exposure to radon was seen as being healthy. During the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s researchers thought that the gamma radiation in residences could produce genetic damage. It was not until approximately 1970 that a quantitative risk estimate for lung cancer could be calculated for miners, and not until the 1990s that a risk estimate could be established based on epidemiological studies on radon in dwellings and lung cancer.
The limitation schemes to decrease Rn daughter concentrations in Swedish homes are described. The application of the Swedish provisional limitation scheme in use since 1980 is also reported and compared with international and national recommendations in other countries.
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