Factors influencing indoor radon concentration in detached houses

Lee, Kyusun; Seo, Soo-yun; Yoo, Juhee; Oh, Su-Jin; Kwon, Myung-Hee; Lee, Wooseok

doi:10.15250/joie.2016.15.2.93

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“… 32 Living rooms, which are main living spaces, were reported to have higher indoor radon concentrations than bedrooms. 33 These effects were related to the presence of heating or ventilation, and whether or not windows were open; this implies that individual exposure concentrations can vary according to the time of day, at home. In the national radon survey, the concentration of indoor radon in multi-story buildings was measured only in the households located in the third floor or those below.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Disease Burden of Lung Cancer Attributable to Residential Radon Exposure in Korean Homes

Kim

2018

J Korean Med Sci

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BackgroundResidential radon exposure is known to be an important risk factor for the development of lung cancer. The objective of this study was to calculate the disease burden of lung cancer attributable to residential radon exposure in Korea.MethodsWe calculated the national exposure level using Korean national radon survey data from 2011 to 2014, and house structure distribution data from each administrative region. Using the exposure-risk function, the population attributable fraction (PAF) was calculated and applied to calculate the disease burden for lung cancer attributable to residential radon exposure.ResultsResidential radon exposure levels were the highest, at 116.4 ± 50.4 Bq/m3 (annual mean radon concentration ± standard deviation) in detached houses, followed by 74.1 ± 30.0 Bq/m3 in the multi-family dwellings, and 55.9 ± 21.1 Bq/m3 in apartments. The PAF for lung cancer, due to long-term radon exposure in Korean homes, was 6.6% and 4.7% in men and women, respectively. The total disease burden of lung cancer attributable to residential radon exposure was 14,866 years of life lost (YLL) and 1,586 years lost due to disability (YLD) in 2013. Overall, 1,039 deaths occurred due to residential radon exposure, of which 828 were in men and 211 in women.ConclusionThe smoking rate of men in Korea exceeded 70% in the 1990s, and is still near 40%. Although the size of the effect varies depending on the estimation method, it is a critical aspect as a risk factor of lung cancer because of the synergistic relationship between smoking and radon exposure. Because the Korean society is rapidly aging, population who were formerly heavy-smokers are entering a high-risk age of lung cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to inform the public about the health benefits of reduced radon exposure and to strengthen the risk communication.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Disease Burden of Lung Cancer Attributable to Residential Radon Exposure in Korean Homes

Kim

2018

J Korean Med Sci

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“…The stack effect draws radon into a residence when the house temperature rises and the outside temperature falls. The largest variables influencing radon levels to grow or decrease inside a residence are air pressure differentials (APD) and the stack effect (Papaefthvmiou et al, 2003;Kyusun et al, 2016;Yousef & Zimami, 2020). Because APDs and thstack effect are greater at night and lower during the day, indoor radon levels are higher at night and lower during the day, a phenomenon known as the diurnal APD/stack effect.The purpose of this study was to quantify radon toxicity in the Ayeduase community, which houses approximately half of the students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, and to determine the risk levels for individuals (categorized as infants, children, and adults) living in the community's various suburbs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radon-222 Concentration in Air: A Case Study of Ayeduase Township, Kumasi, Ghana

Addison¹,

Kukubor²,

Wemegah³

et al. 2022

EJT

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Objective: Radon levels in structures (interior environment) were measured in many dwellings and hostels in Ayeduase Township, Ashanti Region, Ghana. The purpose of this study was to quantify radon toxicity in the Ayeduase community, which houses approximately half of the students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, and to determine the risk levels for individuals (categorized as infants, children, and adults) living in the community's various suburbs. Materials and Methods: Households in Ayeduase had an average of four people per room. The radon in air concentration was measured with a continuous radon monitor using continuous active sampling approach. Multiple measurements were taken at tight space-time intervals over a period of 24 hours. The Continuous Radon Monitor was installed in dwelling rooms in zones where the monitor could record fresh air entering the room. The yearly effective dose was computed using the Mondal 3 Software. Results: The continuous sample air radon concentration in Ayeduase Township was found to be in the range of 8.510 0.05607 Bq/m3 to 11.100 0.6379 Bq/m3. The manually computed effective annual dose rate for indoor air radon was 0.3494 mSv/year to 0.4558 mSv/year for babies, 0.0683 mSv/year to 0.0891 mSv/year for children, and 0.0559 mSv/year to 0.0729 mSv/year for adults. The comparative results from the Mondal 3 Software showed that the effective annual dose rate for indoor air ranged from 0.32 mSv/year to 0.37 mSv/year, with an average of 0.36 mSv/year for infants, 0.11 mSv/year to 0.14 mSv/year, with an average of 0.12 mSv/year for children, and 0.084 mSv/year to 0.097 mSv/year, with an average of 0.94 mSv/year for adults. Conclusion: Ayeduase's radon toxicity profile in terms of air showed distinct features. The maximum value of indoor air radon concentration level determined was lower than the global average value of 40 Bq/m3 of indoor radon concentration level and also lower than the reference level of 100 Bq/m3. In Ayeduase, the estimated average effective dosage over a year for babies, children, and adults were lower than the 1.2 mSv/year indicated by ICRP Publication 126. Recommendation: Radon toxicity due to water and soil sources are required to access the total toxicity levels in the township. Reliable evaluation of the potential for human exposure to radon depends in part on the reliability of supporting analytical data from environmental samples and biological specimens is highly recommended, as well as, concentrations of radon in unpolluted atmospheres and in pristine surface waters are typically within the limits of current analytical methods.

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Indoor Radon Concentration and Annual Effective Dose in 56 Radiation Areas at 34 Medical Institutions in South Korea

Kim

Shin

et al. 2020

Radiation Protection Dosimetry

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This study aims to measure the indoor radon concentration (IRC) of 56 radiation areas at 34 medical institutions to assess their adequacy as required by the South Korean Ministry of Environment and international standards, and calculate the annual effective dose (AED) of individuals in radiation-related professions at each medical institution. The study was conducted for 9 months and the AED was calculated according to the South Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission’s equation. The environmental factors that can affect IRC were analyzed by medical institution, floor level, province and ventilation system. The IRC of eight radiation areas exceeded the recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, with max-AED and min-AED showing a difference of 1.42 mSv/y. Therefore, all radiation areas that exceed the recommended limits must set up preventative measures to minimize exposure. Furthermore, a systematic management plan involving the issuance of radon test reports is required.

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Factors influencing indoor radon concentration in detached houses

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

The Disease Burden of Lung Cancer Attributable to Residential Radon Exposure in Korean Homes

The Disease Burden of Lung Cancer Attributable to Residential Radon Exposure in Korean Homes

Radon-222 Concentration in Air: A Case Study of Ayeduase Township, Kumasi, Ghana

Indoor Radon Concentration and Annual Effective Dose in 56 Radiation Areas at 34 Medical Institutions in South Korea

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