Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values
Exposure to tobacco smoke and radon cause lung cancer. Radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in bedrock produces radon. Seasonality, bedrock type, age of home, and topography have been associated with indoor radon, but the research is mixed. The study objective was to examine the relation...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research: Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5309/acdcb3 |
| _version_ | 1797698345051881472 |
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| author | Ellen J Hahn William C Haneberg Stacy R Stanifer Kathy Rademacher Jason Backus Mary Kay Rayens |
| author_facet | Ellen J Hahn William C Haneberg Stacy R Stanifer Kathy Rademacher Jason Backus Mary Kay Rayens |
| author_sort | Ellen J Hahn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Exposure to tobacco smoke and radon cause lung cancer. Radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in bedrock produces radon. Seasonality, bedrock type, age of home, and topography have been associated with indoor radon, but the research is mixed. The study objective was to examine the relationships of geologic (soil radon and bedrock) and seasonal (warm and cold times of the year) factors with indoor home radon values in citizen scientists’ homes over time, controlling for atmospheric conditions, topography, age of home, and home exposure to tobacco smoke. We collected and analyzed indoor radon values, soil radon gas concentrations, and dwelling- and county-level geologic and atmospheric conditions on 66 properties in four rural counties during two seasons: (1) summer 2021 ( n = 53); and (2) winter/spring 2022 ( n = 52). Citizen scientists measured indoor radon using Airthings radon sensors, and outdoor temperature and rainfall. Geologists obtained soil radon measurements using RAD7 instruments at two locations (near the dwelling and farther away) at each dwelling, testing for associations of indoor radon values with soil values, bedrock type, topography, and atmospheric conditions. Bedrock type, near soil radon levels, home age, and barometric pressure were associated with indoor radon. Dwellings built on carbonate bedrock had indoor radon values that were 2.8 pCi/L (103.6 Bq m ^−3 ) higher, on average, compared to homes built on siliclastic rock. Homes with higher near soil radon and those built <40 ago were more likely to have indoor radon ⩾4.0 pCi/L (148 Bq m ^−3 ). With higher atmospheric barometric pressure during testing, observed indoor radon values were lower. Seasonality and topography were not associated with indoor radon level. Understanding relationships among bedrock type, soil radon, and indoor radon exposure allows the development of practical predictive models that may support pre-construction forecasting of indoor radon potential based on geologic factors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:53:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7bf8ccd81de421b85ae66c4ffa19f57 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2752-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:53:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research: Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7bf8ccd81de421b85ae66c4ffa19f572023-09-03T12:15:32ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research: Health2752-53092023-01-011202501110.1088/2752-5309/acdcb3Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon valuesEllen J Hahn0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8480-1010William C Haneberg1Stacy R Stanifer2Kathy Rademacher3Jason Backus4Mary Kay Rayens5BREATHE, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky , Lexington, KY, United States of AmericaKentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky , Lexington, KY, United States of AmericaBREATHE, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky , Lexington, KY, United States of AmericaBREATHE, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky , Lexington, KY, United States of AmericaKentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky , Lexington, KY, United States of AmericaBREATHE, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky , Lexington, KY, United States of AmericaExposure to tobacco smoke and radon cause lung cancer. Radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in bedrock produces radon. Seasonality, bedrock type, age of home, and topography have been associated with indoor radon, but the research is mixed. The study objective was to examine the relationships of geologic (soil radon and bedrock) and seasonal (warm and cold times of the year) factors with indoor home radon values in citizen scientists’ homes over time, controlling for atmospheric conditions, topography, age of home, and home exposure to tobacco smoke. We collected and analyzed indoor radon values, soil radon gas concentrations, and dwelling- and county-level geologic and atmospheric conditions on 66 properties in four rural counties during two seasons: (1) summer 2021 ( n = 53); and (2) winter/spring 2022 ( n = 52). Citizen scientists measured indoor radon using Airthings radon sensors, and outdoor temperature and rainfall. Geologists obtained soil radon measurements using RAD7 instruments at two locations (near the dwelling and farther away) at each dwelling, testing for associations of indoor radon values with soil values, bedrock type, topography, and atmospheric conditions. Bedrock type, near soil radon levels, home age, and barometric pressure were associated with indoor radon. Dwellings built on carbonate bedrock had indoor radon values that were 2.8 pCi/L (103.6 Bq m ^−3 ) higher, on average, compared to homes built on siliclastic rock. Homes with higher near soil radon and those built <40 ago were more likely to have indoor radon ⩾4.0 pCi/L (148 Bq m ^−3 ). With higher atmospheric barometric pressure during testing, observed indoor radon values were lower. Seasonality and topography were not associated with indoor radon level. Understanding relationships among bedrock type, soil radon, and indoor radon exposure allows the development of practical predictive models that may support pre-construction forecasting of indoor radon potential based on geologic factors.https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5309/acdcb3radonindoorsbedrockssoil |
| spellingShingle | Ellen J Hahn William C Haneberg Stacy R Stanifer Kathy Rademacher Jason Backus Mary Kay Rayens Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values Environmental Research: Health radon indoors bedrocks soil |
| title | Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values |
| title_full | Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values |
| title_fullStr | Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values |
| title_short | Geologic, seasonal, and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values |
| title_sort | geologic seasonal and atmospheric predictors of indoor home radon values |
| topic | radon indoors bedrocks soil |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5309/acdcb3 |
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