Radium and Radon in the Environment

Radium and radon occur naturally in rocks, soil, water, and air through radioactive decay. Their movement through these media determines environmental concentrations and the exposure risks they pose to people and ecosystems.

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Uranium Decay Series: Sequences of radioactive transformations through which uranium isotopes decay into stable lead isotopes. Radium and radon arise as short-lived or long-lived products within these decay chains.
Radon Testing: Measurement of radon concentration in indoor air or other environmental media. Testing identifies buildings where soil-derived radon reaches concerning levels.
Radioactive Decay: The spontaneous transformation of unstable atomic nuclei, often emitting particles or electromagnetic radiation. Decay produces radium and radon and determines their rates of formation and disappearance.
Radon-Induced Lung Cancer: Lung cancer caused by inhalation of radon decay products that irradiate bronchial tissue. Inhaled radioactive particles, rather than radon gas alone, drive the main health risk.
Radium-226: A long-lived radioactive isotope of radium produced in the uranium-238 decay series. It generates radon-222 as it decays in uranium-bearing materials.
Radon Mitigation: Methods that reduce indoor radon, commonly by venting soil gas from beneath a building. Sub-slab depressurization interrupts radon entry from the ground.
Geogenic Radionuclides: Radioactive isotopes originating in Earth's materials through natural processes. They provide the geological source inventory from which radium and radon arise.
Radon Progeny: Short-lived radioactive decay products formed after radon emits an alpha particle. These particles attach to aerosols and deposit in the respiratory tract.
Radon-222: A radioactive noble gas formed by the decay of radium-226, with a half-life of about 3.8 days. Its gas phase allows it to escape soil and accumulate in buildings.
Radon in Drinking Water: Radon dissolved in groundwater that can be released into indoor air during water use. Water supplies can add to inhalation exposure, especially when groundwater is used.