Radon exposure in the home: Its occurrence and possible health effects

Abstract

The phenomenon of radon in houses and its possible health effects are reviewed with special reference to homes in the UK. The role of physics in our understanding of radon, from its behaviour in room air to its radiation dosimetry, is explained. The evidence linking domestic radon exposure to the incidence of certain cancers in the general population is described in terms of the possible role played by natural α-irradiation in the induction of some cancers in man.