Radon Exposure and Children
Infants and children are particularly sensitive to the negative health effects of the alpha particle radiation emitted by radon gas, and special measures should be taken to reduce their exposure as much as possible.
Children have still developing organs. Rapidly growing tissues and cells are very vulnerable to DNA damage from radiation exposure, as their DNA is being
replicated. Any resulting genetic mutations can be propagated to all cells
arising from the damaged cell.
Children weigh less, and so their overall exposure (i.e. the amount of
radon they absorb per kilogram of body mass) is much greater
compared to an adult.
Children breathe faster. An infant or small child will respire 2-3
times faster than adults as they have little lungs and are often
more active. Faster breathing means more radon exposure.
Children have more life left. Radon exposure causes DNA
damage and genetic mutations that may take 10-30
years before lung cancer is diagnosed. Early life
radon exposure means a person is more likely
to live long enough to get cancer from it.
What the science says:
In terms of lifetime relative risk of developing lung cancer, a child exposed to 1,000 Bq/m3 radon from birth to their 6th birthday (5 years) has already inhaled the equivalent of a lifetime breathing in air with 200 Bq/m3 radon.1 pCi/L is equal to 37 Bq/m3.
The Becquerel unit, abbreviated Bq, is named after founder Henri Becquerel. The preferred radon level measurement unit is Becquerels per cubic meter, Bq/m3. One Becquerel equals one radioactive disintegration per second.
Reference: Chen, J. Canadian Lung Cancer relative Risk from Radon Exposure for Short Periods in Childhood Compared to a Lifetime. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013, 10, 1916-1926.
FizzTap: Mar 4, 2015 Illinois High School Radon Video Contest
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