Good (Non-Junk) Radon Science

[dj_strom@ccmail.pnl.gov]

To appear in the February issue of Radiation Research:

Lubin, J.H.; Tomasek, L.; Edling, C.; Hornung, R.W.; Howe, G.; Kunz, E.; 
Kusiak, R.A.; Morrison, H.I.; Radford, E.P.; Samet, J.M.; Tirmarche, M.; 
Woodward, A.; Yao, S.X.  Estimating Lung Cancer Mortality from 
Residential Radon Using Data for Low Exposures of Miners.  Radiation 
Research 147(2):126-134; 1997.

Mean radon progeny exposure in miners is about 10-fold greater than mean 
exposure in the general population, yet miner-based risk models are used 
for estimation of lung cancer risk from residential exposure. Analyses 
of miners with low exposures (less than 50 WLM and less than 100 WLM) 
demonstrate that recent models developed using the full range of data 
for miners are internally consistent and accurately estimate risks at 
low exposures, as can be experienced from long-term residence in many 
homes.

Boice, J.D.  Radon, Your Home or Mine?  Commentary.  Radiation Research 
147(2):135-137; 1997.

Comprehensive studies of underground miners indicate that 10 percent of 
all lung cancers in the United States might be due to breathing indoor 
radon. The pooling of existing and ongoing studies of lung cancer and 
indoor radon, however, remain important to validate these estimates.

Dan Strom

The opinions expressed above are my own, and have not been reviewed or 
approved by Battelle, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, or the 
U.S. Department of Energy.

Daniel J. Strom, Ph.D., CHP
Health Protection Department K3-56
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Battelle Boulevard, P.O. Box 999
Richland, WA 99352-0999 USA
(509) 375-2626 (509) 375-2019 fax dj_strom@pnl.gov