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If it is suspected that a private well or drinking water may be affected by radon, the National Radon Program Services Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON can be contacted for information regarding state radon office phone numbers. State radon offices can provide additional resources, such as local laboratories that can test water for radon. [109]
Natural radon concentrations in the Earth's atmosphere are so low that radon-rich water in contact with the atmosphere will continually lose radon by volatilization. Hence, ground water has a higher concentration of 222 Rn than surface water, because radon is continuously produced by radioactive decay of 226 Ra present in rocks.
Well water can be very rich in radon; the use of this water inside a house is another route allowing radon to enter the house. The radon can enter the air and then be a source of exposure to the humans, or the water can be consumed by humans which is a different exposure route. [10]
Radon, a byproduct of naturally decaying uranium, is estimated to cause thousands of deaths each year nationwide. Here's how to protect yourself.
The drinking water contaminants that can have chronic effects include chemicals (such as disinfection byproducts, solvents and pesticides), radionuclides (such as radium), and minerals (such as arsenic). Examples of these chronic effects include cancer, liver or kidney problems, or reproductive difficulties. [35]
Alternatively, radon may enter the body through contaminated drinking water or through the decay of ingested radium [3] – making radon diffusion one of the greatest dangers of radium. [10] Thus, 222 Rn is a carcinogen ; in fact, it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after cigarette smoking , [ 3 ] with over 20,000 ...