Man-made Mineral Fibres and Radon

Abstract

No. % 81 24 51 27 18 31 159 46 90 47 36 62 58 17 21 ii 2 3 43 13 28 15 2 3 341 190 58 Small-cell carcinoma Squamous-cell carcinoma Adenocarcinoma Other types and not classified Total aFrom Damber and Larsson (1986) 4. Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation 4.1 Exposure data Radon and its decay products are ubiquitous in soil, water and air. Radon in the ground, ground-water or building mate rials enters working and living spaces and disintegrates into its decay products. ln comparison with levels in outdoor air, the concentrations of radon and its short-lived decay products to which humans are exposed in confined air spaces, particularly in underground work areas such as mines and in buildings, are elevated. ln those houses where the concentrations of radon are high, the primary source is usually the ground under the structure. Although high concentrations of radon in ground-water may contribute to human exposure through ingestion, the radiation dose to the body due to inhalation of radon released from the water is usually more important. Concentrations of radon decay products measured in the air of underground mines throughout the world vary by several orders of magnitude. ln countries for which data were available, concen.trations of radon decay products in underground mines are now typicany less than 1000 Bq/ m3 EECRn' The concentration of radon and its decay products in houses also varies widely -by as much as four orders of magnitude. The. average radon concentrations in houses are generany much lower than the average radon concentrations in underground ore mines; however, in many countries where surveys have been performed, the concentrations of radon and its decay products in a sman percentage of houses are comparable to the concentrations observed in many underground mines.