Epidemiological
studies have confirmed that radon exposure is the second most important cause
of lung cancer after smoking in the general population. Ionizing alpha
particles emitted from short-lived daughter nuclides of radon can interact with
biological tissue in the lungs resulting in DNA damage and subsequently
developing cancer.
The radon population
exposure and associated health risks present a segment from a wider field of
consideration concerning measurement
of radioactive gases and aerosols. Characteristic feature of radioactive noble
gases, among which is radon, is
that they do not undergo chemical reactions and in air environment are present
as chemically unrelated atoms. Radioactive noble gases are
not retained in the respiratory system and the irradiation of the biological
tissue of the lungs in the case of
radon inhalation is due to the ionizing effect of its short-lived decay products.
This course aims at
presenting different methods and detectors for radioactive gases and aerosols
measurement, specifics of sequential transformations of radioactive decay
chains in general and in particular for radon and its short-lived daughter
nuclides. Given the consideration that the risk of developing radon-induced
lung cancer is formed by exposure received for years, even decades in the past the
method for retrospective cumulative radon measurement can be quite useful. The
method is based on the property of the polycarbonate material which modern CDs/DVDs
are made from to absorb radon and form alpha particle tracks. А characteristic feature
of the method is that it allows individual a posteriori calibration of the
discs used.Elevated radon
concentrations, and the associated health risks, can be significantly reduced
through radon mitigation. This course will cover the fundamentals of radon
mitigation approaches and technologies, with reference to relevant technical
standards.
After completion of
the course, the course attendees should be able to:
Ø Know the nature and specifics of the radon
population and professional
personnel exposure;
Ø Know the governing equations describing radioactive decay chains in general (to some extent) and in
particular for radon and its short-lived daughter nuclides;
Ø Know different methods and detectors for
radioactive gases and aerosols measurement (in particular for radon) including
the retrospective cumulative radon measurement method with individual a
posteriori calibration.
Ø Know the basic approaches and technologies for
radon mitigation.