So , what is wrong with the statement ? The biological effects of elevated indoor radon are not from radon but rather the short-lived decay products of radon . Most notably Polonium 218 and 214 . If there is radon in the air within a home , there will also be the attendant radon decay products which behave as particulates and have strong electrostatic charges .
When one breathes in , air containing both radon and its decay products are inhaled . However
, when one breathes out , the radon is exhaled , and because of the electrostatic charges of the radon decay products , they stick to the breathing passage and lungs . Beforee your lungs have an opportunity to clear themselves through the escalatory function ( mucociliary transport ), the short-lived Polonium 218 and
Po214 can decay , delivering a powerful alpha particle punch to the lung cell to which they are clinging .
It may take several hours for a normal lung to clear particulates . Perhaps you may recall working in a dusty environment like a crawlspace without respiratory protection ( not a good idea ) and you blow your nose and see the guick on the tissue . It may be several hours before that goes away . Furthermore , you can smell or taste it for even hours more . Within that time frame , a Polonium 218 atom with a 3-minute half-life and a Polonium 214 atom with a half-life of 163 microsecondss can surely decay and release an alpha particle while it is still in the lung or air passage .
The Figure below is a slide from the CERTI Entry-Level radon course that shows the relative time frames at whichh radon and its decay products radioactively decay . Sure , a radon atom might decay while it is in the lung before it is respired , but it is the attachment of the radon decay products , coupled with their short half-lives that make them the actual health risk .