Radiation exposure: safe, eye on radon.Radiation exposure: Safe, eye on radon Current annual levels of exposure to radiation from all sources in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. are, on average, not dangerously high, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a review of available data released last week by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) is a U.S. organization which seeks to formulate and widely disseminate information, guidance and recommendations on radiation protection and measurements which represent the consensus of leading scientific , a nonprofit research organization in Bethesda, Md. The report recommends, however, that a national survey of radon levels in homes be conducted. Radon gas, generated by the natural radioactive decay radioactive decay n. 1. Spontaneous disintegration of a radionuclide accompanied by the emission of ionizing radiation in the form of alpha or beta particles or gamma rays. 2. An instance of such disintegration. of radium radium (rā`dēəm) [Lat. radius=ray], radioactive metallic chemical element; symbol Ra; at. no. 88; at. wt. 226.0254; m.p. 700°C;; b.p. 1,140°C;; sp. gr. about 6.0; valence +2. Radium is a lustrous white radioactive metal. in the soil, is estimated by the report to account for about 55 percent of the total average yearly exposure to radiation. There is growing concern that large numbers of U.S. homes have high indoor radon levels (SN: 11/22/86, p.325). Uranium miners exposed to elevated radon levels have experienced increased rates of lung cancer lung cancer, cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States in both men and women. Like other cancers, lung cancer occurs after repeated insults to the genetic material of the cell. , notes the report. Average radon levels can vary greatly from home to home and in different regions of the country, but widespread testing has not been conducted. Other naturally occurring radiation sources contribute 27 percent of the average yearly exposure, according to the report. These include cosmic radiation Noun 1. cosmic radiation - radiation coming from outside the solar system CBR, CMB, CMBR, cosmic background radiation, cosmic microwave background, cosmic microwave background radiation - (cosmology) the cooled remnant of the hot big bang that fills the entire from the sun and outer space, radioactive rocks and faint traces of radioactive materials found in living creatures, including humans. The remaining portion of the yearly radiation exposure, 18 percent of the total according to the report, comes from human-made sources. Medical uses of radiation, such as X-ray procedures and nuclear imaging, account for the bulk of these exposures. Consumer products, including cigarettes, domestic water supplies, building materials, mining and agricultural products and natural gas in heaters and cooking ranges, make up 3 percent of the total annually. Averaged over the U.S. population, radiation levels on the job and from other environmental sources, including nuclear power plants and fallout from nuclear weapons tests, amount to less than 1 percent of the total yearly exposure. |
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