Radon 101 & Testing

1. Radon 101 & Testing Twa-le Abrahamson-Swan Spokane Tribal Air Quality Department 509-626-4403 twalea@spokanetribe.com

2. www.epa.gov/radon

3. Superfund Site: Midnite Uranium Mine • Contaminants: radionuclides and heavy metals in acid mine drainage, radioactive decay, and particulate transport in air, surface water, and groundwater. • In as soon as two years, millions of tons of contaminated material will be moved using heavy equipment. A new water treatment plant will be built. Remediation is expected to take 8 to 10 years.

5. https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/wtn/WTNPortal/IndicatorPages/RadSmokeLC.aspxhttps://fortress.wa.gov/doh/wtn/WTNPortal/IndicatorPages/RadSmokeLC.aspx

6. Radon Radium Uranium What Is Radon –222 (radon)? • Radon is a gas • It is naturally occurring • You can not see or smell it • It enters buildings from the soil beneath them 3.8 days 1,600 years 4.5 billion years

7. Things to know about radon • Naturally occurring Gas • Undetectable by human senses • Colorless, Odorless, Tasteless • Radioactive • Does not chemically react • No static electrical charge. Will not adhere to other atoms or surfaces.

8. Emanation 2 - 5% Water < 1% Soil Gas 85 - 90% Diffusion 1 - 4% Radium Containing Soil Radium Containing Soil Average Contributions From Radon Sources In U.S. Homes • The movement of soil gas into a home is the predominant entry route. • These are averages - a particular home can be different!

9. < 5 5-6 10 Radon Gas Spatial Distribution • Radon enters from beneath foundation and travels upward. • Diluted with outdoor air infiltrating building • If radon is less than 4 pCi/L in lower level, one can say with reasonable confidence that upper floors are also less than 4 pCi/L.

10. Radon sources

11. Why are we concerned about radon? • Radon is a known carcinogen, in the highest ranking category with tobacco products U.S. SURGEON GENERAL HEALTH ADVISORY “Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the country. It’s important to know that this threat is completely preventable. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.” – January 2005

12. Radon Decay Products Radon Radon Why Is Radon A Concern? • Radon decays into radioactive particles known as radon decay products. • These particles are easily inhaled and deposited in the lungs where they can damage sensitive lung tissue.

13. What happens when radon is inhaled?

14. + + + +2 + + + + + + 4He + 218Po Radon - 222 Alpha  Decay 4He Nucleus Ejected from 222Rn Nucleus

15. What Happens When Radon Decay Products Are Inhaled? • Highly radioactive particles adhere to lung tissue, where they can irradiate sensitive cells. • Radiation can alter the cells, increasing the potential for cancer. Double Strand Breaks

16. 4 day Radon-222 a,g 3 min Polonium-218 a,g 27 min Lead-214 b,g 20 min Bismuth-214 b,g 0.2 ms Polonium-214 a,g Lead-210 22 yrs b,g Bismuth-210 5 day b,g Polonium-210 138 day a,g Lead-206 Stable Radon Progeny 218Po and 214Po deliver the radiologically significant dose to the respiratory epithelium.

18. EPA & Surgeon General Recommend Take action if a home is at or above 4.0 pCi/L (year long average) 4.0 pCi/L EPA ACTION LEVEL Average indoor: 1.3 – 1.4 pCi/L Average outdoor: 0.4 pCi/L

19. Testing for Radon • Initial short-term test (2-7 days) • Closed house conditions • One testing device • Place in lowest lived in part of house, ideally bedroom, living room and most frequently occupied rooms • Not a closet, bathroom, kitchen, storeroom, garage, crawlspace, attic. • Follow-up test if results are ≥ 4 pCi/L

20. Purpose of Test Determines Location • Lowest lived in • Lowest suitable for Occupancy w/o Renovation • Test in livable room. • Keep away from drafts and moisture. YES NO YES

21. Radon Measurement Devices • Activated charcoal device • Electret Ion Chamber • Continuous Radon Monitor

22. Activated Charcoal Devices • Measures radon • Used by professionals and homeowners • Different devices have different optimal deployment periods. • Requires no power to operate. • In small container (paper, metal or plastic) containing activated charcoal. • Can only be read in the lab, not in the field.

23. Activated Charcoal Device Examples • For short-term tests • Must be analyzed within 6 days

24. Advantages Disadvantages • Compact, convenient and economical • Can be used for 48-hour test • Can be easily mailed to lab for analysis • Passive, does not require power and silent • Quick and accurate analysis • Limited to short-term sampling • If radon peaks and valleys are dramatic, the results validity is questioned because of a possible bias over the last 12 hours. • Provides no indication of changes in radon during measurement. • Tampering detection difficult. Activated Charcoal Devices

25. Electret Ion Chamber (E-Perm) • Short-term and long-term measurements • 2 days-1 year, dependent upon: • Configuration • Type of disk used • Anticipated radon concentration

26. Measuring Electret Voltages • Electrets are pre-charged by manufacturer. • Electret voltages are measured before and after deployment. • Reported radon is a function of: • Voltage drop (Approximate 2 volts drop per day per pCi/L)

27. Advantages Disadvantages • Short-term and long-term measurements • Electret can be re-used until voltage falls below the desired operating voltage for the device used (200 volts) • Can be recharged by manufacturer ($30) • Sensitive to external gamma radiation. Correction needed. • Sensitive to altitude changes. Correction needed. • Can be damaged by touching surface, surface contamination or impact. • Pre/post voltages must be measured at the same temperature. Electret Ion Chambers

29. Continuous Radon Monitors • Sun Nuclear (Solid State Silicon Detector) • Impacts from alpha particles are counted. • Data plotted and averaged • Relatively low efficiency • Provides continuous measurements • Used for diagnostics

30. Advantages Disadvantages • Exposure variable: 48 hrs to many months • Relatively good precision • Can track hourly variations • Options to down load or print on site • Can indicate tampering or ventilation. • Higher priced • Requires trained operator • Annual calibration • Bi-annual performance tests. • Can only test one room at a time. Continuous Radon Monitors

31. Results from a CRM

32. Do It Yourself Test Kits

33. Radon Mitigation Training

34. Twa-le Abrahamson-Swan twalea@spokanetribe.com (509) 626-4403 • April 8, 2014 at the US House Appropriations Committee – testifying on cuts to radon funding and services for Tribes and Environmental Justice Communities. • http://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP06/20140408/101853/HHRG-113-AP06-Wstate-Abrahamson-SwanT-20140408.pdf