Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: katieHaylor on 19/09/2017 17:16:14

Title: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: katieHaylor on 19/09/2017 17:16:14

Geoff asks:

Why isn't radon gas a problem in Australia? In some countries it seems a huge deal but in Australia it is never mentioned.

What do you think?

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: helter on 20/09/2017 08:58:08

Just heard of this problem. Subscribed

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: chris on 20/09/2017 22:39:50

https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/radon-map

http://arpansa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Embed/index.html?webmap=c7501ea15f45467da37059b21ec8e66e&extent=105.5019,-42.4303,167.2451,-11.9624&home=true&zoom=true&scale=true&search=true&searchextent=true&legend=true&basemap_gallery=true&theme=light

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: evan_au on 20/09/2017 22:50:20

Radon gas is released as part of the radioactive decay process of Uranium to Radium to Lead (there are more stages than this).
- Radon gas is denser than air, so it tends to accumulate in basements and mines
- Radon gas inhalation is especially a problem in uranium mining (Australia is an exporter); workers are protected by Occupational Health & Safety legislation (in countries which have strong safety legislation). This does not show up in the interactive map - perhaps because it focuses on homes rather than workplace concentrations?
- Radon gas exposure is a problem in other countries which have basements which accumulate the dense gas
      - and have houses which are sealed against heat loss in winter snows, which seals in the radon gas too.
      - especially in areas built on granite or shale rock, which have higher concentrations of these radioactive elements

Radon gas exposure has not been such a concern in Australia because:
- Due to the temperate climate across most of Australia, houses have not tended to be well sealed (although this may change with concerns about air conditioner energy efficiency)
- Houses have not usually had basements - most traditional homes were elevated above ground, with newer homes being slab construction on the ground
- Most of Australia's population lives on sandstone (Sydney) or basalt (Melbourne). Areas built on granite (eg the Snowy Mountains region - yellow region in south-east corner of the interactive map) have much lower population density.
- Radon gas exposure in homes is still a fairly new concern (but the government has had time to investigate it - see report quoted by Chris)

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_radon#Natural
(Overlap with post from Chris - and trying to guess where the red crosses would have gone???)

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: helter on 21/09/2017 04:28:20

That explains it Evan, thanks!

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: chris on 21/09/2017 08:13:27

Thanks Evan - PS - my chemistry teacher would have put several red crosses and a bold "SLCN" if you had handed him the above answer as homework. It was his bugbear that he drilled into us relentlessly.

I'll leave you to ponder what those 4 letters might stand for...

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: evan_au on 23/09/2017 05:22:49

Quote from: chris

I'll leave you to ponder what those 4 letters (SLCN) might stand for...

hmm...
In this case, the chemistry teacher probably wouldn't have been thinking of rocks that are often silicates which contain SILicoN?

Rereading the post, there was a lack of clarity about the Subject of the sentence - could this be it?
Please post the expansion of SLCN (if it is within the site guidelines....)

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: evan_au on 23/09/2017 09:15:40

Quote

(Australian) Houses have not usually had basements

This is changing a bit now, with increased usage of apartments and underground car parks.

It is possible that Radon could build up in an underground car park, which enters your car when you open the door.
If you set the airconditioning to "recirculate", your car could be irradiating you...

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: Colin2B on 23/09/2017 09:28:53

Quote from: evan_au on 23/09/2017 05:22:49

Please post the expansion of SLCN (if it is within the site guidelines....)

Maybe Chris had difficulties  ;)
 "Some children and young people find it difficult to listen, understand and communicate with others and may need support to develop the surprising number of skills involved.  SLCN is the umbrella term most commonly used to describe these difficulties. It stands for Speech, Language and Communication Needs."
https://www.afasic.org.uk/about-talking/what-are-speech-language-and-communication-needs-slcn/

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: albertstanley on 21/05/2019 12:02:28

Quote from: chris on 20/09/2017 22:39:50

Please update this Information. links not able open and read this facts.
Thanks

Title: Re: Is radon gas a health concern in Australia?
Post by: Colin2B on 21/05/2019 17:56:02

Quote from: albertstanley on 21/05/2019 12:02:28

Please update this Information. links not able open and read this facts.
Thanks

the links work fine for me