[ RadSafe ] Residential radon risk

[John Jacobus]

I was under the impression that the physiology of
smoking resulted in a build up of muscus in the
bronchi, etc. that "protected" the cells from the
radon progeny emissions.  Does that sound reasonable?

--- Kai Kaletsch <eic at shaw.ca> wrote:
> Jerry asked: "Given the apparent negative
> correlation between smoking and 
> radon levels, I wonder
> whether it is low radon levels that cause people to
> smoke, or does smoking 
> somehow
> cause lower radon levels? "
> 
> I think it is likely that smoking causes lower radon
> levels, because smokers 
> would open a window to let some fresh air in.
> 
> We have to remember that residential radon levels
> are, in part, determined 
> by the residents' lifestyle. So, one could also
> expect that being sick 
> increases radon levels. (Sick people might not lead
> as active lives and 
> doors will stay closed.)
> 
> Since residential radon levels are related to
> ventilation, one would also 
> expect that they correlate positively with mould and
> other indoor 
> pollutants.
> 
> In the ecological studies, these factors probably
> largely cancel out and the 
> average county radon levels are more related to the
> radon source term. Case 
> control studies would be very susceptible to the
> influence of these other 
> factors, unless these are specifically controlled.
> 
> 

+++++++++++++++++++
"Embarrassed, obscure and feeble sentences are generally, if not always, the result of embarrassed, obscure and feeble thought."
Hugh Blair, 1783

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com


		
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