Radon Reduction Potential of Finnish Dwellings

Castrén, O.

doi:10.1093/rpd/56.1-4.375

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Information on exposure to radon was collected for all five Nordic countries for 1990 (9,15,(50)(51)(52)(53). The mean radon concentrations in dwellings were 123 Bq/m3 in Finland, 108 Bq/m3 in Sweden, 65-70 Bq/ m3 in Norway, 50 Bq/m3 in Denmark and 10 Bq/m3 in Iceland.…”

Section: Exposure To Radonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiation

Winther¹,

Ulbak²,

Dreyer³

et al. 1997

APMIS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Exposure to solar and ionizing radiation increases the risk for cancer in humans. Some 5% of solar radiation is within the ultraviolet spectrum and may cause both malignant melanoma and nonmelanocytic skin cancer; the latter is regarded as a benign disease and is accordingly not included in our estimation of avoidable cancers. Under the assumption that the rate of occurrence of malignant melanoma of the buttocks of both men and women and of the scalp of women would apply to all parts of the body in people completely unexposed to solar radiation, it was estimated that approximately 95% of all malignant melanomas arising in the Nordic populations around the year 2000 will be due to exposure to natural ultraviolet radiation, equivalent to an annual number of about 4700 cases, with 2100 in men and 2600 in women, or some 4% of all cancers notified. Exposure to ionizing radiation in the Nordic countries occurs at an average effective dose per capita per year of about 3 mSv (Iceland, 1.1 mSv) from natural sources, and about 1 mSv from man‐made sources. While the natural sources are primarily radon in indoor air, natural radionuclides in food, cosmic radiation and gamma radiation from soil and building materials, the man‐made sources are dominated by the diagnostic and therapeutic use of ionizing radiation. On the basis of measured levels of radon in Nordic dwellings and associated risk estimates for lung cancer derived from well‐conducted epidemiological studies, we estimated that about 180 cases of lung cancer (1% of all lung cancer cases) per year could be avoided in the Nordic countries around the year 2000 if indoor exposure to radon were eliminated, and that an additional 720 cases (6%) could be avoided annually if either radon or tobacco smoking were eliminated. Similarly, it was estimated that the exposure of the Nordic populations to natural sources of ionizing radiation other than radon and to medical sources will each give rise to an annual total of 2120 cancers at various sites. For all types of ionizing radiation, the annual total will be 4420 cancer cases, or 3.9% of all cancers arising in the Nordic populations, with 3.4% in men and 4.4% in women.

show abstract

Section: Exposure To Radonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiation

Winther¹,

Ulbak²,

Dreyer³

et al. 1997

APMIS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These surveys range in type from small localized short-term screening surveys to national surveys in which long-term (yearlyaverage) indoor radon concentrations were determined in randomly chosen population-weighted representative samples of national housing stock, which is the recommended methodology (UNSCEAR, 1993). National surveys which approximate in character to this latter description were carried out in many European countries; the UK (Wrixon et al 1988), Ireland (McLaughlin andWasiolek, 1988), Italy (Bochicchio et al 1994), Finland (Castren, 1994) and Sweden (Swedgemark and Mjones 1984), and non-European countries, e.g. the United States of America (Marcinowski, 1992) and Australia (Langroo et al 1991).…”

Section: Introduction (Radon Problem)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Coordinated indoor radon surveys in some Arab countries

Al-Azmi

Al-Abed²,

Alnasari

et al. 2012

Radioprotection

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Indoor radon surveys were carried out in some of the Arab countries through a Coordination Research Program (CRP) organized by the Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA). The objectives of the program aim at establishing a database on indoor radon concentration levels in the region and investigating any anomalies, where they exist. The approach adopted by the survey teams to achieve public participation in accepting the radon detectors in dwellings is presented and discussed. Most of the participants in the CRP used the passive method (CR-39 plastic detectors) for long-term radon measurements, while others used charcoal detectors and E-Perm systems for short-term measurements. The results of the surveys showed that radon concentration levels in most of the dwellings were low, whilst in some old cities and in an area close to a phosphate mine the levels were found to be relatively high.

show abstract