Policy Paper: Mitigating Public Health Risks from Radon Emissions in Serbian Building Materials
Radon (²²²Rn) is a radioactive noble gas that occurs naturally as a radioactive decay product of uranium-series isotopes present in the Earth’s crust (the lithosphere). Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer worldwide, coming second only to tobacco smoking, and is a major environmental health risk. Granite is a dense igneous rock that is a popular building material because it is durable, has an attractive aesthetic, and is reasonably priced.
Granite may contain a variable supply of radium-226 (²²⁶Ra) which is a parent radionuclide compound of radon. In Serbia, the use of granite in residential and commercial buildings is rapidly increasing, raising supposable concerns about the contribution these structural materials have radon concentrations indoors. This study assesses the radon and thoron (²²⁰Rn) exhalation rates for ten samples of granite used frequently in Serbia and examines the indoor radon concentrations with three different ventilation rates (0.63, 0.20, and 0.13 h⁻¹).
The indoor radon concentrations were calculated for each ventilation rate using a standard room model, and a risk assessment of indoor radon was done using the UNSCEAR and ICRP models. The results reveal radon exhalation rates from <161 to 5220 ± 200 μBq/m²/s, while
In-low ventilation cases showed concentrations of radon up to 150 Bq/m³. The estimated annual-effective dose varied within the range of 0.05-3.79 mSv and lifetime lung cancer risk ranged from 35-2,653 cases per million people. These results support the need for regulatory action, for better ventilation approaches, and public health recommendations .
Keywords: Radon exhalation; granite building materials; indoor air quality; lung cancer risk; Serbia; health risk assessment; radon mitigation; exposure recommendations.
