Radon emission of building materials and recycled structural materials - an international collation
Abstract
Radon is a naturally occurring colourless, odourless, radioactive gas, which is the decay product of radium. The most widely known radioactive sources are uranium, thorium and radium, but ionizing radiation can also be found elsewhere. Any building material of natural origin may contain a certain quantity of radioactive elements. The carriers of this radioactivity are called the NORMs (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Minerals). Reused building materials in many cases include unknown components and thus deserve priority attention regarding radioactivity. In Hungary, 70% of these materials is soil, of which only 15% is being reused. It is advised to utilize them with exceptional precaution, as they may contain dangerous elements regarding radioactivity due to their unbeknown compound. In this article we delineate research and results of various countries; showing relations of high concentration and their dangers, and additionally, their connection to building materials, all with the goal of attracting attention to the hazards of indoor radon concentration.
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