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Measurement

What are acceptable levels of radon gas exposure?

The effects of radon gas exposure on our health are well documented and have been proven to be life threatening. In fact, Radon gas exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Therefore, long-term exposure to the gas increases the probability of developing lung cancer. Any exposure to radon gas provides a risk, even is that exposure…
Darren Cottom
September 21, 2021
Measurement

What type of units are used to measure radon gas?

It seems a simple question, but in reality the answer is not so straightforward. Firstly, we need to clarify exactly what we are talking about when it comes to radon gas. There are various aspects to radon: radon gas exposure, radon gas concentration in indoor air, radon gas concentration in soil, radon in water, radon exhalation, radon doses, etc. Depending…
Darren Cottom
September 7, 2021
Measurement

Why you should measure for radon levels

There is increasing global awareness of the detrimental health risks posed by radon exposure. Every day the issue gains more attention. New legislations are being introduced across the world to tackle the issue, and measuring instruments are being enhanced to attain better results. But the question remains, what is the best way of measuring radon levels in the home or…
Darren Cottom
August 24, 2021
Measurement

How does radon gas affect humans?

Radon gas is responsible for 55% of the total exposure of the general public to natural ionizing radiation (UNSCEAR report 2000). We can always find elevated radon levels indoors, and we are breathing radon gas everywhere. However, questions arise such as why is radon gas dangerous and how does it affect humans? Introduction: Rn alpha radiation and physics Radon is…
Darren Cottom
August 10, 2021
Measurement

Radonova´s German partner expands radon expertise and portfolio to meet increased demand for radon measurements

Recent changes in German radon regulation law have raised awareness of radon and the detrimental impact it has on health, as well as the availability of local distributors and contractors that supply radon measuring devices and services. Radonova's partner Safetec has been active in the field of radiation protection for almost 30 years and knows firsthand how the market for…
Darren Cottom
July 6, 2021
New calculator simplifies radon measurement in the workplace
Workplace

Elevated radon levels can be found in all types of workplaces

A new study shows that different types of workplaces indicate minor differences in measured radon levels. When the world's largest radon laboratory Radonova carried out measurements at approximately 10,000 workplaces between 2018 and 2020, the variations between offices, industries, stores, and schools were inconsequential. The exception applies to underground workplaces, where radon levels, as expected, tend to be higher than…
Darren Cottom
June 22, 2021
Measurement

Radonova´s Radtrak2 detectors receive excellent results in a Spanish radon intercomparison test

Radonova and ACPRO, one of Radonova´s distributors in Spain, have taken part in an intercomparison exercise with passive radon detectors. The Radtrak2 detectors used in the test got very good results when comparing to other detectors. ACPRO SLU has been authorized as a Technical Unit in Radiological Protection (UTPR) since 1990. The national intercomparison test was organized by Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, in collaboration with the Spanish Radiation Safety Authority (CSN). For the intercomparison test, at least five detectors of the…
Darren Cottom
June 8, 2021
Workplace

When was radon gas discovered?

To find out when radon gas was first discovered, we must go back to the 16th century when scientists started to study the reasons for diseases among miners in Saxony and Bohemia. Lung diseases were common among those miners, and it is clear that radon gas was responsible for the fatalities. At the end of the 19th century, a new…
Darren Cottom
May 25, 2021
Measurement

Why calibration is fundamental to obtaining accurate radon measurements

In many countries, there is a requirement that a radon instrument should be calibrated once a year. This is important as many instruments lack the functionality to determine whether it is providing accurate results and working correctly. Why calibrate? Radon is a radioactive gas that is formed naturally when the uranium-238 isotope decomposes. The radon gas decays and turns into…
Darren Cottom
May 11, 2021
Measurement

How to accurately measure when conducting radon mitigation

To successfully conduct radon mitigation an accurate and reliable inspection is required to identify where radioactive radon gas is coming from. This can be achieved via a number of different radon measurement techniques. There are numerous reasons elevated radon content may be present in a building, but it mainly arises because of radon leakage from the ground and through building…
Darren Cottom
April 27, 2021