Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Radon - The Killer in Tobacco

Out of nearly 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke, only 2 definite chemical carcinogens have been identified in cigarette smoke - benzopyrine and nitrosamine -the most potent carcinogen found in tobacco is radiation from Polonium-210, a radon decay product.
The use of phosphate fertilizers on tobacco has tripled in recent years. Calcium phosphate accumulates uranium which slowly releases radon gas. The breakdown of radon produces radioactive polonium-210 which adheres to the tobacco leaves.
The Surgeon General stated that radioactivity, rather than tar, accounts for at least 90% of all smoking-related lung cancers.
Given this information it appears that radon is the number one cause of lung cancer.


To read more information please see: Dr. Gordon Edwards

Estimating Lung Cancers....

Radioactive Polonium in Tobacco

Monday, August 23, 2010

Where does radon in my water come from?

As water moves through the ground, radon gas can be carried in the water to your tap. When well water is agitated at warm temperatures in the home, radon is released into the air. When you shower, bathe or simply run the tap, the radon in the water is liberated into the air, forming radon gas that can be inhaled in. According to the EPA, radon levels in ground water are highest in New England and the Appalachian uplands of the Mid-Atlantic and Southern States. Certain areas around the Rocky Mountains, California, Texas and the upper Midwest also have elevated levels of radon in the ground water. These areas are most likely to have elevated radon in water levels, but radon in water can occur anywhere in the US.



Fixing the problem...


Simple aeration removes up to 99% of radon from water. Radon is rarely a problem in public systems because the water is aerated during water treatment. Unfortunately, this does not occur in water being drawn from a private well. Aeration treatment equipment aerates the water, then vents the gas to the outside. This treatment option requires that the gas be vented above the roof line, otherwise the gas may enter the home.