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Radon gas exposure can cause lung cancer, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, chronic interstitial pneumonia, and birth defects. It is highly radioactive and has no color, odor, or taste. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US, causing approximately 20,000 deaths per year. Screening test kits are available to check radon levels in a location.
Effects of radon gas exposure include lung cancer, emphysema, hardening of lung tissue, chronic interstitial pneumonia, and chromosomal irregularities leading to birth defects. Radon is produced when natural deposits of radium and uranium begin to break down and the resulting gas seeps into the ground and eventually into the air. Radon gas has no color, odor or taste and is highly radioactive.
Radon exposure is a leading cause of lung cancer. It has been shown to be a decisive factor in the development of four malignancies of lung cancer: squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma. When someone is exposed to radon for an extended period of time and breathes in the toxic gas, small radioactive elements enter the lungs and attack healthy cells. This causes cells to regenerate abnormally, resulting in lung cancer.
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer. The EPA also states that approximately 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year are directly attributable to radon. Researchers in France and the UK achieved nearly identical results.
Respiratory disorders are also among the harmful effects of radon. Emphysema is one of the most commonly reported conditions, followed by pulmonary fibrosis or hardening of the lung tissue. Chronic interstitial pneumonia, which causes fluid to build up in the lungs and hinders healthy breathing, is also widely seen after radon exposure. Other respiratory conditions include silicosis, a chronic painful cough and frequent shortness of breath, and lesions of the respiratory system.
Contact with radon can cause damage to chromosomes and DNA, resulting in birth defects. The radiation in radon gas damages DNA on a cellular level and hinders the development of healthy cells. If an exposed woman is early in pregnancy, the effects of radon can lead to miscarriage. Exposure to the gas in subsequent trimesters can cause irreversible brain damage to the unborn baby.
Screening test kits are widely available to check radon levels in a particular location. Homeowners can get a rough idea of the effects of radon on a home by placing the test device in the lowest floor of the structure for several days. It is then sent to a laboratory for scientific testing. These kits are typically called short-term tests, but you can also get long-term test equipment, which takes samples over the course of a year.
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