The Radon Problem

... Radon (222Rn) is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas found in-group 0 of the Periodic table. Radon's half-life is 3.82 days, into 218Po, which in turn decays to 214Pb, 214BI and 214Po. These radionuclides are collectively called Radon daughters or radon progeny and, because they are solids once formed they become attached to aerosol particles in the air and can be breathed in to the lungs, where they settle. The isotopes of 222Rn all emit ?-particles as they decay. Like other ionising radiation, ?-particles can damage biological molecules, increasing the likelihood of cancers, genetic defects and accelerated ageing, even at low doses. It is the Radon daughters that deliver the highest radiation dose, but Rn gas concentrations (often referred to as 'levels') are the ones normally measured in a room. Average indoor readings are about 20Bqm-3 (1Bq = 1 decay per second), while the action level for homes (the concentration level above which the National

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