Health Risks of Radon and Other Internally Deposited Alpha-Emitters

Download or read book Health Risks of Radon and Other Internally Deposited Alpha-Emitters written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1988-02-01 with total page 623 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book describes hazards from radon progeny and other alpha-emitters that humans may inhale or ingest from their environment. In their analysis, the authors summarize in one document clinical and epidemiological evidence, the results of animal studies, research on alpha-particle damage at the cellular level, metabolic pathways for internal alpha-emitters, dosimetry and microdosimetry of radionuclides deposited in specific tissues, and the chemical toxicity of some low-specific-activity alpha-emitters. Techniques for estimating the risks to humans posed by radon and other internally deposited alpha-emitters are offered, along with a discussion of formulas, models, methods, and the level of uncertainty inherent in the risk estimates.