- #1
chalk72
- 1
- 0
I have noticed that whenever the topic of radon comes up there are two probable reactions:
1. IQ quenching panic. Generally exhibited by members of the public at large.
2. Discussion quenching disgust. Most commonly displayed by devotees of the hard sciences. (Sometimes accompanied by hand-waving)
I would like to posit the existence of a third state: enlightening explanation. Specifically, I am in search of a derivation of the number of years required for a cumulative exposure of x milliSieverts of radiation in the presence of y picoCuries/liter of alpha radiation from radon. My own calculations have led me to conclude that for x = 100 it would take over 6,000 years for lungs of 2kg mass and 5 liter volume to reach this level given a Q of 20 and N of 0.12 (wikipedia) in the presence of 2 pCI/liter assumedly generated purely by alpha particles with an energy of 6.4MeV (highest decay energy for Radon products I could find). Alarmingly, or perhaps annoyingly, this disagrees hugely with data from the NCRP indicating an annual effective dose in the neighborhood of 1.7mSv for 1 pCi/liter, which would get you to 100mSV in only 29 years for a 2pCi/liter situation. If anyone (preferably not within groups 1 or 2 above) can shed some light on this disagreement, I would be most appreciative.
1. IQ quenching panic. Generally exhibited by members of the public at large.
2. Discussion quenching disgust. Most commonly displayed by devotees of the hard sciences. (Sometimes accompanied by hand-waving)
I would like to posit the existence of a third state: enlightening explanation. Specifically, I am in search of a derivation of the number of years required for a cumulative exposure of x milliSieverts of radiation in the presence of y picoCuries/liter of alpha radiation from radon. My own calculations have led me to conclude that for x = 100 it would take over 6,000 years for lungs of 2kg mass and 5 liter volume to reach this level given a Q of 20 and N of 0.12 (wikipedia) in the presence of 2 pCI/liter assumedly generated purely by alpha particles with an energy of 6.4MeV (highest decay energy for Radon products I could find). Alarmingly, or perhaps annoyingly, this disagrees hugely with data from the NCRP indicating an annual effective dose in the neighborhood of 1.7mSv for 1 pCi/liter, which would get you to 100mSV in only 29 years for a 2pCi/liter situation. If anyone (preferably not within groups 1 or 2 above) can shed some light on this disagreement, I would be most appreciative.