Radon Exposure: A Case Study

There are loads of different ways that we as humans affect the world and the environment we live in. Some things that we do can not only change and affect the environment but can also affect our health.

The Navajo have endured environmental injustice since 1944 when uranium, was mined on their land. Even though it brought them mining jobs there were negative effects on the Navajo Nation. Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal that may cause negative health effects. The radioactive materials caused lung cancer or various forms of fibrosis. These uranium mines affected not only the minors but

Environmental health is concerned with the natural and built environment. The built environment includes buildings, parks, water and energy infrastructure, and transportation systems. The natural environment includes vegetation, air, water, climate, radiation, and heat.

It is now known that radium, shown in figure 4, is a potent carcinogen (a substance the cause’s cancer (Wilbraham, Staley, Marta, & Waterman, 2005)). It emits a form of ionizing radiation which “includes electromagnetic radiation (e.g., gamma rays and X-rays) as well as particles (e.g., alpha particles, beta particles, high-speed neutrons, high-speed electrons, high-speed protons, etc.)” (National Library of Medicine, n.d.). Acute studies have been done on the effects of radium exposure on the human body by organizations like the Geneva World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man. As a result of their findings, The National Library of Medicine states that sufficient evidence has been provided showing that prolonged exposure to Raduim-224, Radium-226,

The average annual radiation dose received by Americans is 360 millirems (or "mrems"), about 300 of which come from naturally occurring sources like radon. By contrast, you would get only 0.01 mrems per year as a result of living 50 feet from a nuclear power plant. Even a single annual cross-country airplane flight exposes you to 3 mrems, while a medical X-ray gives you a dose of 20 mrems.

This radioactive pollution is anything but acceptable even though it is being deemed “acceptable,” by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (World Business Academy). The health effects of radioactivity are accumulative in the human body, consequently, the longer an individual has been living around a nuclear power plant, the more radioactivity their body absorbed. Engaged with leading researchers in the field, the Academy commissioned a health study to investigate the potential impact the Diablo Canyon has on the local population (World Business Academy). By examining publicly available health data broken out by zip code, an abrupt trend emerged: the local population in the hot zone has been getting sicker every year the plant has been operating (World Business

Here is an interesting fact that might surprise the average person. Radon is a colorless gas that is found in numerous homes across the country. In fact, many people are not aware that they have high amounts of radon in their home. Radon is a dangerous gas and is responsible for millions of health related problems yearly among people across the country. Experts agree that a radon test for the radon levels in the home is mandatory to determine if radon gas is within the structure of the building. Next, contact a radon mitigation contractor for resolution of the problem.

Ira Helfand demonstrates ethos, or authority, to argue the fact that any amount of radiation can be detrimental to public health, no matter how small. In order to effectively represent authority with this claim, Helfand uses a report from the National Research BEIR VI, “It is the consensus of the medical and scientific community, summarized in the National Research Council BEIR VII report, that there is no safe level of radiation,” (Helfand, 2012. Para. 2). The National Research Council BEIR VII specializes in the study of nuclear energy. For this group to insist that there is not an amount of exposure to radiation that could be deemed as safe, it is more of an “eye-opener” on the argument. Consequently, including an expert organization’s findings into his article allows Dr. Helfand a security of authority on the

This gas can be found easily all over the United States in homes, schools, companies,etc. Did you know that the radioactive gas, radon has been found in every state? It is shocking, but still it is true. Therefore I think it would be a smart decision to have mandatory radon testing in schools. It would help us prevent kids from getting lung cancer in schools because of the poisonous gases. There are multiple ways that you can test for radon in a building. But one way would be by calling a qualified radon testers around your area. Many of you may ask, “Is radon a problem in Idaho,” and the answer to that is yes. As the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare state, “... there are many areas throughout Idaho that have high levels of radon.” Such places in Idaho like: Twin Falls with 23% radon, Jerome with 19%, Gooding with 28%,etc. So as we can tell places close to where we live are pretty low, but those percentages can increase over time, that’s only if we don’t take action. Knowing this I believe that we should have testings in schools to make sure that the kids aren’t in danger. This is why I think that it should be mandatory to have radon testings in

The environment is the home to all living and non-living organisms. It can be compared to a life support system that ensures the well-being of everyone. Recent cases of environmental degradation pose a threat to nature and the entire ecosystem. There has been increased awareness to educate individuals on the need to protect our environment with the aim of protecting the natural beauty and sustaining humanity.

There are many different types of nuclear energy. Radon is a radioactive element (Rn) that is incredibly dangerous. This toxic element has an atomic number of 86 and an atomic weight of 222. Radon is odorless and a colorless gas, but can also be a transparent liquid or a solid. Radon can be used in cancer treatment and spas for medical treatment. However, Radon is known as the second leading cause to lung cancer and exposure to Radon in your home can be deadly. It is incredibly important to test for Radon in your home because it is not always evident when it is there.

Radon Gas is a rising issue in our daily lives, as it is emerging to become a problematic issue globally. Radon is an odorless, colourless gas that can be harmful to both adults and children. The gas enters your house through the ground and it is made from the breakdown of uranium in the soil (Health Canada). The gas has a concentration in the winter compared to other times in the year (Government of Canada). The amount of radon in your house also depends on 3 other factors. These 3 factors are how much uranium is in the ground near your house, how well your home is ventilated and the amount of entry points(Government of Canada). However, there are ways to prevent it from entering your home. The gas emerges from the ground and enters your body when you

Environmental health is the last of the components of health or the last of the six dimensions of health. Environmental refers to the environment surrounding the people, is the environment is unhealthy the person will develop many problems, from physical to mental. In

This paper will aim to determine how exactly Radon gas effects humans, Radon levels across Canada and detection methods, and different ways to reduce risk of exposure.

The scientific community unanimously agrees that exposure to high levels of radiation is a health hazard. Many people feel unconcerned because they feel it’s not a relevant problem in their lives. However, there are over 71,000 tons of nuclear waste simple in temporary storage at the U.S.’s 104 nuclear reactors (Oliver). Nearly one out of three Americans live within a 50-mile radius of a reactor filled with waste (Oliver). Still many are skeptical remaining ignorant of the potential dangers of radiation exposure. The severity of the damage to a person’s heath due to radiation is based on how much radiation and how long they were exposed to the amounts of radiation. The amount of radiation a person receives is measured in “rem” and depending on that the health effects could range from no observable health effects, to cancer, to even death (Effects of Radiation). Even a fraction of the amount of radiation to kill a person could cause nausea, fatigue, vomiting, loss of appetite, loss of hair and abnormalities in blood cells (Effects of Radiation). Nuclear waste from a typical fuel rod will still have 2,000 times more rem than the required dosage to kill a person even after 10 years (USNRC).