What is radon and where does it come from?
Radon is a radioactive noble gas that comes from the decay of radium in the soil. Radium is also a daughter or progeny nuclide of uranium, (to see the entire decay chain, click here). Radon is a colorless, odorless, invisible gas that can only be detected through the use of proper equipment and protocols. Chronic exposure to elevated radon levels has been linked to an increased incidence of lung cancer in underground miners. Radon is constantly being generated by the radium in rocks, soil, water and materials derived from rocks and soils, such as certain building materials. Radium is a decay product of uranium which is naturally occurring in the soils and rocks of the earth’s crust. Uranium is present at about 0.5 to 5 parts per million (PPM) in common rocks and soils. The concentration of radon gas in the soil will be related to the amount of uranium present. However, this is not a good indicator of the level of radon in an individual home.
Radon is a radioactive gas found in nature. It has no color, odor or taste and is chemically inert. It’s source is uranium. As the uranium molecule decays to form stable lead, a process taking many, many years, it changes from one radioactive element to another in a sequence known as the Uranium Decay Cycle. Partway through this cycle, the element radium becomes radon which as a gas moves up through the soil to atmosphere. Uranium is found in most soils and in granite.
