Influence of Surficial Soil and Bedrock on Indoor Radon in New York State Homes. Task 2, Subtask 2 of an Investigation of Infiltration and Indoor Air Quality in New York State Homes

摘要

Radon can enter a building from soil and bedrock through cracks or openings in the basement. Extrapolation from data obtained from studies of miners exposed to high concentrations of radon and other carcinogens over long periods indicates that radon gas in the home poses an increased risk of lung cancer. The project was initiated to determine the characteristics of soil and bedrock that contribute to the availability of radon for infiltration into the home, and the feasibility of using soil characteristics in mapping areas at higher risk for above-average indoor radon in New York State. After conducting soil surveys across the State, the researchers choose four areas for further study. Fifteen homes in each area were tested for indoor air concentrations of radon, air infiltration into the home, radon concentrations in the soil, and the permeability of the soil for gas flow. The researchers concluded that these parameters could be combined to obtain a Radon Index Number to predict mean indoor radon levels for a given area with similar soil geology. However, this measure has a limited ability to predict indoor radon levels for a particular home due to variations in construction as well as differences in soil and bedrock.