What is Picocurie?
Radon gas is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). A curie, which gets its name from Madame Curie, represents the radioactivity associated with one gram of radium. A picocurie is one trillionth of a curie. Finally, a picocurie per liter refers to an amount of radioactivity that emits 2.22 disintergrations per minute in a one-liter volume of air. When radon escapes into the open air, it is harmless. However, when the gas enters into the living areas of buildings and accumulates, it becomess a health threat. The decay products of radon can lodge in the lungs and increase the risk of lung cancer. The current airborne radon level at which the EPA recommends action is 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Further, the EPA says to consider action if the level is 2 to 4 pCi/L and suggests that every home and workplace be tested for radon gas in the air.
