Radon-222 is a radioactive gas that, when inhaled at high concentrations, can harm human health. However, there are several recommended and maximum allowable Radon-222 limits in water and air in the international community. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the maximum recommended and allowed Radon-222 limits in drinking water and indoor air in the international community, indicating the most referenced organizations in Radon-222 studies through a systematic review. The results indicate that there is variation of up to 1000% between limits established for Radon concentrations in the air indicated by ICRP and US EPA. For water, the maximum limit established by EURATOM is 90 times higher than that established by US EPA. Greater relevance regarding the presence of Radon-222 in the air was also evidenced, due to its potential to detach from various physical means, such as water agitation, its occurrence in building materials and its release by contaminated soil. Finally, it was also found that the limits imposed by US EPA for the presence of Radon-222 in water and air were the parameters most used for comparison in the scientific community and that about 80% of evaluated studies reported from one two sources that proposed Radon-222 limits in air and water.
Este trabalho objetivou analisar a influência das condições ambientais e de trabalho na saúde de mineradores do Seridó Paraibano. Foram aplicados questionários com mineradores e empresas de mineração, além do levantamento de dados de óbitos por neoplasias na plataforma DATASUS. Através das respostas obtidas nos questionários dos mineradores, foi utilizado o Coeficiente de Pearson para correlacionar a taxa de adoecimento por doenças gástricas e respiratórias, com a jornada de trabalho dos garimpeiros. O uso de EPIs foi considerado como variável nessa análise. Com a elaboração do índice de adoecimento por neoplasia na área de estudo, foi verificado que os óbitos por câncer de pulmão e estômago são aproximadamente duas vezes maiores do que os dados estaduais e nacionais. Já com relação ao questionário dos mineradores, os dados indicaram que houve resistência por parte dos trabalhadores para utilização dos EPIs, como recomenda a NR-22, identificados como não usuário 60% dos entrevistados. Em consonância, no questionário aplicado com as empresas mineradoras, foi relatado que havia a disponibilidade dos EPIs para os funcionários, porém os mesmos se recusavam a utilizar. O coeficiente de Pearson correlacionou os questionários e indicou que o uso dos EPIs e a duração da jornada de trabalho são inversamente proporcionais, ou seja, quanto maior a jornada de trabalho, menor a probabilidado do uso de EPIs. Esse fato gerou maior sucetibilidade de adoecimento e acidentes de trabalho. Sobre os entrevistados foi analisado que 55% apresentaram enfermidades gástricas e pulmonares, além de 27,4% do total avaliado possuírem neoplasias. Destes com neoplasia 41% era de incidência pulmonar, o que contribui para embasar os maiores indices que ocorrem na região, sendo motivo de preocupação de saúde pública.
Radon-222 is a radioactive gas that, when inhaled at high concentrations, can harm human health. However, there are several recommended and maximum allowable Radon-222 limits in water and air in the international community. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the maximum recommended and allowed Radon-222 limits in drinking water and indoor air in the international community, indicating the most referenced organizations in Radon-222 studies through a systematic review. The results indicate that there is variation of up to 1000% between limits established for Radon concentrations in the air indicated by ICRP and US EPA. For water, the maximum limit established by EURATOM is 90 times higher than that established by US EPA. Greater relevance regarding the presence of Radon-222 in the air was also evidenced, due to its potential to detach from various physical means, such as water agitation, its occurrence in building materials and its release by contaminated soil. Finally, it was also found that the limits imposed by US EPA for the presence of Radon-222 in water and air were the parameters most used for comparison in the scientific community and that about 80% of evaluated studies reported from one two sources that proposed Radon-222 limits in air and water.
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