The combination of tobacco smoke and radon is hazardous and poses a significant public health concern, particularly in states like Kentucky, where smoking rates are among the highest in the country and many homes are underlain by bedrock with high radon potential.
To better communicate the risk of radon exposure, Haneberg et al. made a statewide geologically based map of indoor radon potential for Kentucky. The Kentucky Geological Survey, a research center within the University of Kentucky, maintains an interactive Web map service that includes the radon map.
The authors, comprising geologists and public health experts from the university, combined results from nearly 72,000 home radon test kits in Kentucky with the state’s geologic map to develop the new map. The results showed that, on average, homes on limestone, dolostone, and some shales have higher indoor radon concentrations than homes on siltstones, sandstones, and surficial deposits. The authors note that karst features such as caves and sinkholes may facilitate the concentration and rapid migration of radon and thus may be partly responsible for high radon values in limestones.
The authors distilled results for 106 different geologic map categories into five risk classes to communicate indoor radon potential throughout Kentucky. An earlier study estimated that disseminating such information could save lives and an estimated $3.4–$8.5 million per year in health care costs. The researchers say they anticipate that the information will encourage Kentuckians to test for and mitigate radon in their homes. (GeoHealth:
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GH000263, 2020)
—Aaron Sidder, Science Writer
Citation: Sidder, A. (2020), Certain rock formations can lead to in-home radon risks, Eos, 101, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EO152485. Published on 11 December 2020.
Text © 2020. AGU. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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Joshua L. Keyes
Pennsylvania Representative
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Erie, PA 16510
Phone: (814) 873-2284
Email: [email protected]
The Genesis Creation Project was founded by Joshua L. Keyes in October of 2020, a faith-based advocacy nonprofit organization focused on animal education and environmental issues while teaching the Creation Story found in the Book of Genesis. Our focus is teaching youth as well as adults.
The Genesis Creation Project (GCP) focuses on animal care through principles of faith and animal education. Through the use of birds, individuals will be taught the importance of caring for the environment in their cities, neighborhoods, and environments in which they reside. Our mission is to take the love students have for animals, educate them regarding the establishment of a loving and clean environment for all creation to live in harmony together which will in turn, transfer to humans.
Creators of "Radon the Cockatoo".
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