Estimating the Health Risks of Radon in Drinking Water

Journal - American Water Works Association - Tập 79 Số 4 - Trang 153-158 - 1987
C. Richard Cothern

Tóm tắt

By combining information about the occurrence, transport, exposure, and health effects of radon in drinking water, it has been estimated that over a period of 70 years (the average lifetime in the United States), between 2000 and 40 000 lung cancer fatalities are caused by inhalation of natural radon released from US public water supplies. The average concentration of radon in these water supplies generates a lifetime risk of about 1 in 10 000, the highest level of risk allowed for any contaminant currently regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Reducing the levels of radon in drinking water, which would significantly lessen the risks to health, has been found to be feasible by either aeration or treatment with granular activated carbon.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

A Citizens' Guide to Radon, 1986, Office of Radiation Programs (ANR‐460)

10.1097/00004032-198601000-00002

10.1016/0160-4120(85)90098-4

Crawford‐Brown D.J.&Cothern C.R.Use of Uncertainty Concepts in Estimating Lifetime Human Risk Due to the Occurrence of Radon in U.S. Drinking Water Supplies.Health Physics(in press).

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), 1982, Ionizing Radiation: Sources and Biological Effects

National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.Natural Background Radiation in the United States. Rept. 45.Washington D.C.(1975).

USEPA.Radioactivity in Drinking Water. EPA 570/9‐81‐002. Office of Drinking Water (WH‐550) Washington D.C.(1981).

USEPA, 1986, Implementation Strategy for the Radon/Radon Progeny Measurement Proficiency Evaluation and Quality Assurance Program

10.1097/00004032-198505000-00003

Proc. 1983 National Workshop on Radioactivity in Drinking Water.Health Physics (May1985).

10.1097/00004032-198505000-00002

10.1097/00004032-198110000-00002

Gesell T.F., 1980, The Contribution of Radon in Tap Water to Indoor Radon Concentration, Natural Radiation Environment III, 2

Clemente G.F., 1980, Proceedings of the Specialist Meeting on the Assessment of Radon and Daughter Exposure and Related Biological Effects

Nazaroff W.W., 1985, Potable Water as a Source of Airborne Radon in U.S. Dwellings: A Review and Assessment

USEPA, 1984, Evaluation of Waterborne Radon Impact on Indoor Air Quality and Assessment of Control Options

10.1097/00004032-198511000-00014

10.1021/es00144a001

International Commission on Radiological Protection, 1981, Limits for Inhalation of Radon Daughters by Workers

10.1097/00004032-198505000-00006

10.1097/00004032-198505000-00007

Lowry J.D., 1981, Removal of Radon From Groundwater Supplies Using Granular Activated Carbon or Diffused Aeration

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Journal - American Water Works Association

Tập 79 Số 4

153-158

Thông tin tác giả