What Makes Radon Gas So Dangerous In Michigan Homes?

What Makes Radon Gas So Dangerous In Michigan Homes?

We all have heard about radon, the colorless, tasteless, odorless gas produced by the decay of uranium and radium. But what makes it so dangerous? And how likely is it to be a problem in the typical Michigan house?

Radioactivity

The basic problem is this: radon is radioactive.

Take a look at the pictures above. This is hydrogen. At left we have an electron and a proton... no problem, it is stable. In the middle picture, we add a neutron. Again, no big deal, the hydrogen is stable.

But in the picture on the right, we add a second neutron, and that throws things out of balance. The addition of the second neutron made the nucleus unstable. Or, in other words, adding two neutrons (right picture) to the simple hydrogen nucleus (left picture) causes it to become radioactive.

So that is radioactivity for non-scientists in a nutshell.

Radioactive Decay

Radioactive decay is when radioactive nuclei of atoms fall apart (disintegrate). These disintegrations release energy and the nucleus changes into the nucleus of a different atom. In the case of radon, the process starts with the breakdown of uranium, which breaks down into radium, which in turn produces radon.

Radon then decays into other substances (called radon decay products or RDP's) which are also radioactive. The process continues until non-radioactive lead is created.

Isotopes are different forms of an element that have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons in their nucleus. There are several different isotopes of radon, but public health is focused on one specific isotope: Radon 222, with 86 protons and 136 neutrons.

Both radon and its decay products can be inhaled, delivering a dose of radiation to the lung tissue. Approximately 50% of RDP's attach to walls and floors, where they are "plated out." That is, they are no longer floating in the air, so they aren't a big problem.

But the other 50% easily attach to objects like dust or smoke and can be breathed into the lungs. In sufficient exposures, this can lead to lung cancer.

If radon is present at high enough levels, the threat of lung cancer increases -- especially among smokers.

So that is the very brief and science-minimal explanation of why radon gas is dangerous.

Radon Dangers In Michigan Home

According to the EPA, here is the radon danger per county for Michigan homes:

If you are interested, you can find many articles on radon at michigan-indoor-air-quality.com/radon.html