Abstract
Rural communities experience higher radon exposure versus urban areas , potentially due to drilled groundwater well annuli acting as unintended radon gas migration conduits
� Selim M . Khan , Dustin D . Pearson , Evangeline L . Eldridge , Tiago A . Morais ,
� Marvit I . C . Ahanonu , M . Cathryn Ryan , Joshua M . Taron & Aaron A . Goodarzi
Scientific Reports volume 14 , Article number : 3640 ( 2024 ) Cite this article
Abstract
Repetitive , long-term inhalation of radioactive radon gas is one of the leading causes of lung cancer , with exposure differences being a function of geographic location , built environment , personal demographics , activity patterns , and decision-making . Here , we examine radon exposure disparities across the urban-to-rural landscape , based on 42,051 Canadian residential properties in 2034 distinct communities . People living in rural , lower population density communities experience as much as 31.2 % greater average residential radon levels relative to urban equivalents , equating to an additional 26.7 Bq / m 3 excess in geometric mean indoor air radon , and an additional 1 mSv / year in excess alpha radiation exposure dose rate to the lungs for occupants . Pairwise and multivariate analyses indicate that community-based radon exposure disparities are , in part , explained by increased prevalence of larger floorplan bungalows in rural areas , but that a majority of the effect is attributed to proximity to , but not water use from , drilled groundwater wells . We propose that unintended radon gas migration in the annulus of drilled groundwater wells provides radon migration pathways from the deeper subsurface into near-surface materials . Our findings highlight a previously